Winter is the time of year where it gets dark early, which means cocktail hour starts so much earlier than in the summer.  The children are in school, the weather is blustery turning to cold and there’s a lot of baking to be done.  The brisk wind wakes you up when you go outside, making you that much more grateful to hurry back into the house or to a warm car.

At least that’s the way it is here in New Jersey, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The leaves did their final drop in the last week or so, and gray skies have presided for the last three days.  I have no complaints about this, because I love winter.  How much do I love winter?  Why, let me count the ways.

 

 

1.  My Leopard Snuggie – Depending on my mood, I wear it as a dragging, regal robe and my children call me the leopard queen.  I love it.  It’s warm, it’s fleecy and it’s an excellent emergency blanket for a child who needs a snuggle.

 

 

2.  Hot Coffee – I love coffee anytime, anywhere and will only drink it hot, no matter what the temperature outside.  But you’ve gotta admit, there’ something special about that first cup of coffee when I’ve dropped off the little ones and hurried into a warm house from the freezing temperatures outside.  The house is totally quiet.  After the gurgle of the Keurig, it’s just me and that Black Silk, with a little creamer to lighten the load.  Bonus points for those donuts from the 7-eleven.

 

 

3.  Slippers – I’ve got slippers, heavy socks, fur lined leopard sequined slippers, you name it, I’ve got it.  Again, it’s about the warmth and the snuggles.

 

 

 

4.  Baking – I am not a cook.  Dinner is a task.  But baking?  Why I love baking!  Cookies, biscuits, cakes, loaves…it is on during the winter season. Plus, the heat doesn’t kick on as much and the house smells soooooo durn good. In addition, I get to play June Cleaver with the kids and feed them hot chocolate with homemade sugar cookies!

 

5.  Comforters – There’s nothing better after a long day of cooking, kids, dog and writing than to snuggle up with the hubs under our heavy comforter.  Sure, it’s as old as our marriage, has some holes and is a little ragged around the edges, but it is warm and reminds me of how much I love winter.  Plus, with the nights being so long, I don’t feel like an old person getting into bed at 8:30.

So, dear readers, what are some of your favorite things about winter?