8 Autumn-Inspired CSS & JavaScript Effects

Every season has a distinct vibe. People celebrate them by wearing seasonal colors and delighting in traditional flavors. Autumn appears to have taken over as a favorite time of year for many. Pumpkin spice, anyone?

Yes, the fall season is being celebrated like never before – and for good reason. It’s when we embrace cooler weather, colorful leaves, and ugly sweaters. We’re also preparing for the upcoming holidays.

Naturally, web developers want to get in on the fun. They’re creating homages to the season that also show off their skills. They combine the latest in CSS and JavaScript with fun snapshots of fall life.

It all convinced us to collect some of the best autumn-inspired effects for your enjoyment. Their creativity will keep you cozier than a blanket and a warm cup of cider.

Virtual Autumn Corn Maze

Created by Kit Jenson

Nothing screams “autumn” like getting lost in a corn maze. This virtual maze challenges you to guide your pumpkin to safety. The game has a fun retro look and is powered by JavaScript. It’s also a more comfortable experience for those of us who are claustrophobic.

See the Pen Autumn Corn Maze by Kit Jenson (@kitjenson)
on CodePen.

Autumn Leaf Fall Preloader

Created by Nicolas

This snippet is proof that loading graphics don’t have to be boring. You can add seasonal flavor like this leaf animation. Watch as CSS animation spirals leaves into a virtual black hole.

See the Pen autumn leaf fall preloader by Nicola

Hexagonal Autumn Leaves Animation

Created by Philip Warkentien II

How about something a bit more abstract? This mesmerizing presentation uses SVG hexagon shapes to represent leaves. The fall color scheme is beautiful. And it’s hard to take your eyes off the sparkly animation.

See the Pen Autumn Leaves by Philip Warkentien II

Animated Glowing Spooky Spectral Ghost

Created by Filip Zrnzevic

We can’t forget about Halloween! The spooky season is well-represented by this glowing ghost presentation. Move your cursor and watch as the spirit follows you. WebGL and Three.js are the forces behind the animation – not magic.

See the Pen [webgl/threejs] ❍ Spooky Spectral Ghost by Filip Zrnzevic

Autumnal Sweater Weather

Created by McCambley

The chilly weather is a perfect excuse to dig out those old sweaters. You know, the ones with the wild patterns and scratchy fabric. Or, you might enjoy this garment built with CSS. The light-up diamonds are a nice touch.

See the Pen Sweater Weather by McCambley

Single Div CSS Pumpkin Spice Latte

Created by Greg Robleto

Pumpkin spice has become a phenomenon. Coffee shops pump out lattes before the first leaf hits the ground – and people can’t get enough. The flavor of the season is recreated here with a single DIV element. CSS gradients are used to create the various shading effects.

See the Pen Pumpkin Spice Latte – Single Div CSS Art (Divtober 2023 :Day 1 :Fall) by Greg Robleto

Falling Autumn Leaves Shader

Created by CeramicSoda

Raking leaves is perhaps the least popular autumn ritual. Watching them fall, on the other hand, is great fun. Here, you can shake a virtual tree and make the yellow-and-orange foliage fly. The best part? No cleanup!

See the Pen Falling autumn leaves shader by CeramicSoda

Snickers Bar Pure CSS

Created by Zerde Turdybek

Technically, you can eat a Snickers bar any time of the year. But there’s something special about receiving one when trick-or-treating. You can almost smell the chocolate and peanuts emanating from this CSS-rendered candy bar.

See the Pen Snickers by Zerde Turdybek

The Colors, Flavors, and Code of Fall

Web developers are always looking for a reason to build something fun. The colors and flavors of fall offer plenty of inspiration. The snippets above allow us to explore the season and sharpen our skills.

We hope you enjoyed this fresh harvest of autumn-themed code in all its glory! Please check out our CodePen collection for even more examples.


here. He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: WP Product Writeup. He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky @karks.com.

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