I’m prepared to convince you that fall is hands down the best of the four seasons of the year. Do not get me wrong, summer is great and all: no school, swimming all day, being tan and happy. Winter has its perks as well, whether that’s Christmas, the occasional chance at East Texas snow, and winter break. Spring in Tyler Texas is just–Eh. But I firmly hold my belief that fall trumps them all. And here’s why.

1. The Weather: First things first, nothing beats the crisp, cozy feel of consistent 50 degree weather. The autumn leaves that decorate the trees and streets where they have fallen with reds, oranges, and yellows that fill ones vision. You want to wear shorts and a long sleeve shirt; that’s fine, no one’s judging you. Or you’d rather layer up with some pants or leggings and a light sweatshirt; even better, because fall is all about being comfy and cozy.

1. Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and all things Pumpkin. Truly the best seasonal flavor in my opinion, and obviously a national fan favorite, as anytime someone visits Starbucks and asks for a pumpkin spice latte, the barista responds with an annoyed sigh, “I’m sorry ma’am, but were currently out of all pumpkin spice flavoring.” (I believe Starbucks is an overpriced and overrated globalized coffee franchise, but that’s a topic for another day.) Pumpkin BREAD. If God had given us 25 hours of the day instead of 24, I’d probably spend that time every day baking pumpkin bread. Nothing tastes better and it never gets old. The fact that it’s in season only a couple months of the year makes it even more delicious. Pumpkin CARVING. Single-handedly the most popular autumn activity is carving pumpkins. Whether you are the most artistically inclined individual on the planet, or God created you color blind and without a creative bone in your body, this staple fall activity can be fun for all. Make it a fun date with your significant other, a time of fun with family and kids, or just get a group of buddies together, as long as you got a sharpie, a knife, and a couple pumpkins, you are all set. Nothing beats the final affect achieved when putting your candle-lit jack-o-lantern on the front porch for the whole neighborhood to see.

1. Halloween! October 31st, what I would classify as the dead middle of fall, marks one of the most fun holidays of the year. A day where you can dress up as literally anyone or anything, and no one will question your choice behind it. With a variety of different costume categories, (funny or sweet, sexy or over-the-top,) there’s a costume out there for everyone. Halloween parties are probably the best type of parties of the year. The candy, seeing everyone’s costume, and the halloween-themed games just make it such a fun gathering. Have younger kids? Guess what, trick or treating is right up your ally. Accompany their door to door visits asking for candy, and they might just let you have a couple pieces from their haul at the end of the night. Contradictorilly the most fun and exciting thing to do during this season is hit a haunted house with your friends. Although scary, I think haunted houses are such a blast and it’s so fun to see friends scream out of clown-induced terror.
2. Football season. A nearly weekly experience to look forward to, high school football games are a staple to the fall season. Grab your friends and spend a couple hours before the game hanging out and getting ready to dress all out for the theme. And if your team sucks, good news! Watch your favorite college teams on tv on Friday and Saturday. Or, potentially, end the week off right by inviting pals over for a Sunday night NFL viewing party completed with chili, drinks, and desserts.

1. THANKSGIVING!!!! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, for so many reasons. First things first is spending time with family. There’s not a more nostalgic feeling then going out to the family farm and playing flag football for hours as we wait for the extravagant meal to finish cooking. Which brings me to the tastiest aspect of fall: Thanksgiving food. Turkey, ham, stuffing, green bean caserrole, sweet potatoes, carrot cake, chocolate fudge pie, the rolls. My mouth is watering just writing about it. The only downfall of thanksgiving is feeling like a balloon for the next couple days from all the food consumed.

Finally, Fall is a time of CHANGE. Fall is a transitionary season between two opposite seasons, summer and winter. It prepares us for the coldest time of year, but it also has its own unique perks I touched on in this post. Fall will hopefully always be my favorite season, and I would love to know If reading this grew a more appreciative spot for Autumn in your heart as well.