Things I Love About Winter (From Someone Who Hates Winter)

Winter is my least favorite season and as soon as the holidays are over, I’m counting the days until the official start of Spring, and I figure once we make it to that, we’re home free, it’s smooth sailing from that point on, most of the time. If we can make it even further without murdering anyone, like, say April or even early May, then that’s even better. So to try and brighten these weary winter days, I’ve come up with a list of what I think are the best things about winter.

1. The Holidays. My favorite holiday is Christmas, but it’s usually a stressful time of year for many people. I try and put the hustle and bustle of the season out of my mind and just make the most of it because it only comes once a year. Instead of corporate greed, I see it as a time to spend with family and friends, to eat some great food, and make new memories as well as keeping old traditions alive. The presents are just an added bonus.
2. The Air. It’s a clean, fresh, crisp smell, which travels down your airways and straight into your lungs and head, making you feel suddenly alive. On those especially bitter cold mornings, there’s a hint of wood smoke. When it snows, if the temperature is slightly above freezing, you can practically smell the snow, kind of similar to the smell of the air after a spring rain.
3. Hearty Food. There’s nothing like good barbecue or pasta salad in the summer, but there’s something about putting together a delicious beef stew on a Sunday afternoon while the snow is lightly falling outside. The cold weather invites you to feast on hot, hearty food to keep you warm and full, especially if you’re doing a lot of shoveling or other winter activities. My favourites in the winter (besides stew) are chicken/turkey or roast beef/pork dinners with all the fixings and clam chowder with lots of crackers and butter. Not to mention others like chicken soup and bacon and eggs and French toast or meaty spaghetti and lasagna.
4. The Sky. It seems more clear and blue in the winter than it does in the summer, but I think it’s because the Earth is tilted and the sun is lower and also because the air is dryer which makes the atmosphere more transparent, hence the reason why the stars in the night sky also appear to be brighter and clearer. There was one morning a few days ago where the sky was a brilliant magenta. There were just enough clouds and they were predicting a storm for later that day but it was gorgeous to see.
5. Feeling Cozy. The cold weather makes you want to throw on your warm pajamas and wrap yourself in a fuzzy blanket. I’m not a sweater person, but I do like adding layers to warm up. An added bonus in the winter is that you can bring your blankets up to your chin when you sleep and it’s easier to get a good night’s rest when it’s cooler outside, not hot and muggy like in the summer.  
6. Reading, Watching, Writing and Listening. Winter evenings are for staying in. I love making my bed cozy and climbing into it in warm pajamas with a book I’ve been meaning to read or turn on the laptop for my twice yearly viewing of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. A Lord of the Rings or Star Wars marathon never hurts either. I recently discovered the HBO series ­Girls and binge-watched my way through forty episodes in less than four days, but I tend to stick to my old favorite shows like The X-Files or ER or CSI: Miami. I’m sure there’s a channel playing Criminal Minds all day, every day as well. The long days also give me a chance to write, whether it’s a short story or a fan fiction of some kind. It may not be great, but it’s something I enjoy. Finally, there’s nothing like unwinding with some favorite music after a long day or when you have a weekend off. I love going through my playlists or throwing a Dave Matthews Band concert in the DVD player and singing along. Sounds corny, I know, but I love it.

Okay, that’s it for now, but I may add more to this list in the coming days….