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Yeah when I was a kid, Christmas was so exciting. I felt the best emotionally, because I was getting the new Sonic Hedgehog games that I wanted lol. There wasn't anything like that feeling. To be honest, each year it kind of fades... I'm not a kid anymore (mid 30s), but I still try to hold onto that magic of what it feels like to be excited about getting to open a present that you want. The last few Christmases for me have unfortunately been kind of sad though, but even at their worst they are still better than summer for me.
Summer is a bad time for me, I have extreme social anxiety and EVERYBODY is out and about when I just wish they'd go away - and it just depresses me and makes me a little neurotic. Crime rate is also naturally higher than summer, and it puts me on edge. There's nothing like driving in the dead of winter where not many people are out because they hate driving in it, it's so serene/peaceful and how the snow muffles out all the sounds. Well I'm naturally an introverted person and of course I like this better. My birthday is also in the winter, just 5 days after Christmas. So I have even more to look forward to. I'm not saying that winter is perfect or it solves all my problems, by mid-January I am already a little tired of it but I agree that October/November/December are amazing!
Warm weather is growing on me somewhat, I didn't mind spring as much as I did other times in my life. Though March and August are still my two least favorite months and I don't know if that will ever change. Maybe I like July a little less than August, hard to say. August is kind of a 'nothing' month. I feel so uninspired during the dog days. The dog days of summer just absolutely drain you. I feel like I have no energy and it's roughly the complete opposite time of the year from when I was born, so it's like spiritually I'm kind of dead or in a zombie-like state. I know that might sound strange, I wonder if anybody else feels that way. Well technically that date would be June 30th but it lags on for a couple more months before fading.
I feel you about August. That's another thing ... theres no holiday there. Even with the cold, January has New Years, February has Valentines Day and March has St. Patrick's day (and sometimes Easter)
I think August is probably a good camping month, though.
I start to feel more hopeful and look forward to the leaves changing color, crisp autumn days and Halloween about this time of year. My two favorite seasons have always been autumn and winter ever since I was a little kid. I used to make my mom crazy because I would try to run outside without a coat on to go and play in the snow!
I also enjoy the winter holidays and they just didn't feel right when I lived in warmer climates. It's energizing when the snow and colder temperatures come.
My favourite time of year is coming up; mid-fall through earlywinter. October, November and December. I love these months for many reasons. The weather, the leaves changing and falling, the first snow and frosts but ALSO the holidays.
I love the holiday season. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are the best. It's great that they're about evenly spread apart. I love everything they offer. From costumes, scary movies, handing out candy, carving pumpkins in Halloween to all the food and familial closeness of Thanksgiving, to decorating for Christmas, buying presents (holiday shopping isnt stressful for me... it's very fun) baking cookies, setting up the tree, going sledding and ice skating, having hot coco and opening presents on Christmas morning. And listening to Christmas music. (Not before Black Friday tho!) I just love the final 3 months.
I think my preference for cold weather has a lot to do with that. Though not only. I mean I still like January and February as well and I love the feeling of cold and cold weather in general, granted it's in the appropriate season.
I notice a lot of people who are drawn to perpetually warm climates arent big on the holidays. They may not hate them, but they are seen as an annual event that comes and goes where as to me it's a big excitement and a season I look forward to. Note this doesnt mean that those who love the holidays prefer the cold but it seems that they tolerate it better than those who dont care for them. Case in point; my friend's mom who LOVES Christmas, and doesnt mind the occasional snowfall and mildly cold weather but wouldnt be able to handle a northern winter.
Curious to know what y'all think. And before I get comments like "well lots of tropical countries celebrate Christmas too" I know that... but I grew up in Florida and warm Christmases just dont feel right. That's one reason I havent spent a Christmas down there since 2013.... when it was 78 at NIGHT! Yuck!
That's probably because Florida is a small warm-winter area attached to a much larger mainly cold-winter country. I think it's different in countries that aren't culturally dominated by the beginning and end of the year being cold (is there an opposite term for mid-year?)
I grew up in South Africa and always struggle with the cold and gloom of England at Christmas time and the way it's not summer holiday time. Traditionally people would go on holiday to the sea side after Christmas. Same with New Year and my birthday in Feb. It's just hard for me to reconcile my least favourite weather time happening then. In fact it's worse, because the worst part normally comes after Christmas.
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, a great time to be around family. I don't associate it with cold weather as Thanksgiving is usually perfect weather in my neck of the woods (low 70's). So many Thanksgivings we would go outside to a park and take family photos and such. I guess you could do that up north but you'd not be very comfortable and photos with coats aren't as good looking. For instance the females in my family can wear a sleeveless dress for the photos and the men wear suits. So I think I prefer the mild Thanksgivings I'm used to down south.
For Halloween, many times I remember going out with friends and they were in costumes such as babies (a guy in a diaper with no shirt), prostitutes, nurses, etc... I just can't see wearing those skimpy costumes up north. Down here in Austin it's usually in the 80's at Halloween so you can wear those sexy/skimpy costumes. Now that I have a son of course the previous costumes I used to wear with friends are not relevant but still the little girls can wear princess costumes and other costumes where they would be freezing up north.
So I think Halloween and Thanksgiving are better down south, at least for me.
Now let's talk about New Year's Eve. I believe that watching fireworks on a 50 degree night is far more comfortable than on a 5 degree night. Cities like New Orleans have NYE celebrations that are very good and not as crowded as NYC. So I think the South wins that one as well.
So now let's go to Christmas Eve. Growing up we would have bonfires on the levees on the Mississippi River. Again, most of the time it was in the 40's or 50's. You would drink hot cocoa and warm up by the fire. It was a nice experience and if it was 5 degrees I don't know if it would've been more enjoyable. I give the nod to the South.
Now let's talk about Christmas Day. Up north there is a higher chance of snow, but as a kid are you outside in the snow all day or are you opening your presents and playing with them? I spent a few Christmas vacations at my grandparents in MA before and while I played in the snow for an hour on Christmas day, most of the day was spent playing with toys and eating dinner.
So, I just can't buy that it's better up north during holiday season than down south. Sorry. Now let's go to the rest of winter...
Then you go to Valentine's Day. Do you want to go outside with your date in slush/snow to get to a restaurant or do you want to go out in 50/60/70 degree weather? I prefer warmer weather over snow/slush. If it's 70 degrees there's a chance she wears a nice skimpy dress. If it's icy she's all covered up. The South wins.
Now let's go to St. Patrick's Day. New Orleans has one of the largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the country and definitely in the South. If you compare it to the Chicago one, which one will you be more comfortable at? The South wins again.
You also have to remember I grew up in Louisiana and so February/March had Mardi Gras which most of the country doesn't have. So that's another reason to like it down South.
I just don't buy it that the holiday seasons are better up North. Sorry!
I think some of the reason many like it up north is because they are used to the holiday traditions up north. However they are probably unaware or haven't embraced the holiday traditions down south. If you were with a native like me I could show you some Christmas festivals unlike any other. The Christmas festival in Natchitoches for instance (in the day): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYlR4rr2koc
at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPFLTSe-rA
Holidays - don't care much about those, last time I did was when I was a kid.
Cold weather -different story, I want that 10 months a year, from September to June (inclusive). This is regardless of any holiday that might fall within.
I love Halloween. I like Christmas a lot. I'm fond enough of New Year's Eve. Don't care that much about Thanksgiving except it's a day off work.
I hate winter. I wish Halloween and New Year's Eve were warmer so it's easier to go out and have fun without being bogged down by cold, slush, and winter clothing ("check out my cute Halloween costume/New Year's Eve party outfit! Oh wait, you can't; I'm dressed like the abominable snowman"). I wish Christmas and Thanksgiving had nice weather so there's no risk or reluctance in traveling to see family.
Besides, for me, Christmas is a religious holiday. Snow has nothing to do with it, so I don't need it and didn't/wouldn't miss it.
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Originally Posted by TheGrandViking
Then you haven't truly lived!!!
Just Imagine it is December 20th and the high for the day was 28 F. It snowed 3 inches but the snow was on the dryer side forming beautiful crystals with a light wind around 8 mph gusting occasionally to 12 MPH from the NW. It's 9 o'clock and quiet with a temp around 22 F. It starts to snow lightly and very fine dry snow that forms sparking crystals when it passes though the light of the street light. You are walking on cleared path and the sky, despite the light snow is clear in the southeast and stars can be seen as the clouds began to roll in. You don't feel cold because you know how to dress for this weather and are perfectly dressed for light exercise in the perfect temperature range. The snow tickles your faces and you can hear the snow lightly striking your hood. The air is crisp and despite what other will tell you, it almost has taste that feels wonderful to breath in. You feel a gust of wind and look up and see the snow swirling above you and sparkling as if it is alive. The moon is out but the clouds are about to obscure it The virgin snow has yet to be disturbed and the moonlight flashes on the crystals of snow that looks to be almost blue. If only you could freeze this moment...
Yeah, who in their right mind would like that. I've had many moments just like that and maybe you will someday. That and other cool things about winter is why many of us love it.
I always say, "Sure, winter is pretty. That's why I can look at pictures on the internet. But I don't want it outside my window. It's not 'pretty' when I'm scraping it off my car and slogging through it and driving slowly through it hoping I get to where I'm going some time today and without my car getting wrecked and freezing my arse off all the while." It's pretty, but not pretty enough I want to live it. There are some pretty snakes out there, and tornadoes are pretty, but I don't want either anywhere near me.
Of course, if the temp only gets down to 28 where you live and all you get is "light snow" then it's maybe more understandable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vinnyfl
Not for us and all the 125,000+ senior citizens here. We live in the tropics and enjoy the holidays as much as we used to when we lived up north. We hate cold weather and therefore the holidays are nicer when it is just 50-70 degrees outside. All we remember are Halloweens when it was so cold out that the kids had to wear their costumes over coats. Christmases when it took me hours to get to my parents house due to snow storms. Once we followed a plow for 5 exits on a Turnpike. Going out for New Year's Eve without having to check your coats is nice as is not worrying if it would snow and prevent you from going out.
Then there were the near heart attacks from shoveling snow which in the end was the final straw for me. I have come to love a Plan Tree with Xmas lights on it or eating a Thanksgiving meal on our Lanai.
This. I loved the Christmases and winters I spent in Thailand... last year when I and a friend were running around Singapore in short sleeves and trying not to sweat too much on the way to church, able to stand outside when the church was full. When I could go out and do things, whatever I wanted, all year 'round, without worrying about being cold / falling down / slogging through snow / carrying 70 pounds of winter gear / trying to keep a bag from sliding off the shoulder of my puffy coat / having my nose running everywhere / not being able to wear whatever I want because no one can see it under my coat anyway or it would be too chilly, etc. etc. No "I can't wait until it's warm again and I can do X, Y, and Z" because I could do it NOW. Glorious.
It was truly painful to be forced to come back here.
Except for skiing/snowboarding/winter sports, I don't see any need for cold weather. Those mountain sports are only good in the mountains out West (Tahoe, CO, etc...) where there is powder instead of ice or a slushy mess.
There's no need for snow in Iowa or Chicago or anywhere else where there isn't a mountain to ski on.
The holidays can be enjoyed in warm weather, just check out what I said earlier in the thread.
Except for skiing/snowboarding/winter sports, I don't see any need for cold weather. Those mountain sports are only good in the mountains out West (Tahoe, CO, etc...) where there is powder instead of ice or a slushy mess.
There's no need for snow in Iowa or Chicago or anywhere else where there isn't a mountain to ski on.
The holidays can be enjoyed in warm weather, just check out what I said earlier in the thread.
Like I've said before, I don't want to have to drive or hours just to go to cold weather and snow. I want it here and now in my front yard, where I can see it on a regular basis. I love shoveling snow; good exercise in my favorite weather.
For me, not particularly. I grew up in a place with milder winters than where I am now. I enjoy the Christmas holiday season but am not an appreciator of cold weather.
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I've had many moments just like that and maybe you will someday. That and other cool things about winter is why many of us love it.
