As I pulled into my driveway tonight, shivering in my gym clothes after luxuriating in a warm car, I grinned. I love autumn, I love when the weather changes and the air gets cold and crisp, and the tree tops blow with nature’s fury. I couldn’t wait to get upstairs to my room, change into sweats and put on the heater, and snuggle under the blankets for a night of writing and reading under the open window. There’s nothing quite like the short days and long nights of fall and winter to inspire writing. Somehow the creative juices are set to flowing when it’s cold outside, windy, hopefully raining, and I can get cozy with a cup of tea and the classical music on. So, in the spirit of winter, here is a list of my favorite things about the end of the year.
10. Clothes. As much as I love the flirty styles of summer, I let out a sigh of relief when I can slip in to cozy sweaters and thick socks, tall boots and scarves.
9. Hot cocoa. I don’t like this drink any other time of year. You just can’t drink cocoa unless it’s cold outside.
8. The smell of the air. Winter just smells good. Cold and clean. Not to mention pies and cookies baking, fires burning behind hearths, and turkey with stuffing.
7. Body heat. Any excuse to snuggle works for me, but cuddling under warm blankets when it’s freezing outside is just so much better than otherwise.
6. More hours to the night. The vampires are awake longer.
5. Tea. Sure, I drink tea throughout the year, but it’s never the same.
4. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween. Such fun, family-centric holidays. I love gathering with loved ones and eating myself silly.
3. Back to school sales. Okay, this is one of the first signals that the year is circling to its close. I love stocking up on pens and notebooks and folders and other supplies I won’t use for ages. Notebooks make me feel more writerly.
2. Old movies on tv. Love the classics, with a big bag of popcorn. And hot cocoa.
1. NaNoWriMo. If year-end wasn’t already so great, there is NaNoWriMo to get me started on another year of writing. It is the writer’s New Year’s Month.
