From The Editor: Falling for Fall

Growing up, winter was always my favorite season. It had everything I could ask for: Christmas, New Year’s, my birthday (February 28 for those curious), and plenty of snow to play in.

Then, I stopped sledding and started driving. Much of winter’s charm faded into a slurry of slick roads and seasonal depression. I still love the holidays and the two days each year with a perfect mix of light snow, no wind and high-20s temps, but if spring sprang immediately after the conclusion of the 12th day of Christmas, you wouldn’t hear any complaints from me.

As an oldest sibling and a former high school debate captain, though, I needed to have a favorite season to champion and argue over. Spring is lovely, but it seems to last all of two weeks between the slush of late winter and the heat of summer. There’s nothing like a sunny summer day on the lake, but like perfect winter days, they seem to come twice a year at best. More often, my summers consist of missing the freedom of summer vacation from school and hoping I’ve managed to make it through the day without a sweat mark on the seat of my pants.

That left me with fall. The weather is still warm enough that I’m rarely uncomfortable but cool enough to wear layers and cozy up with a blanket or three. The fall colors are, of course, drop-dead gorgeous. While September no longer means the start of a new school year, Labor Day is still a marker of the changing seasons and a chance to reset and refresh. I love seeing family every Thanksgiving, and my post-feast nap is probably the best sleep I get all year.

While fall may be the herald of wintry misery, it is not itself winter. Enjoy it, my favorite season — and therefore objectively the best season — while it lasts.