Growing up in Florida, I never really got to experience the seasonal changes that autumn brings. Florida, for the most part, has two seasons: hot and hotter. I’m a beach girl, so it never bothered me, and I assumed it was normal to lie in the sun on Christmas. So when I moved to the Pacific Northwest and began experiencing honest to goodness autumns, it was change I never knew I’d embrace. I’ve learned to love the following five things, in particular.

1. As you can imagine, seeing the leaves change colors every fall has been a hugely exciting thing for me. The reds, yellows, and oranges that creep into the leaves in October bring a color riot that leads to the first leaf piles toward Halloween. I have a beautiful maple outside my living room window that casts an orangey-yellow light through the window that makes me smile.
2. I love the seasonal, spicy aromas I can pull out to scent my home. I love the smell of cloves and cinnamon, and I use scented candles especially at this time of year to get into the spirit of fall and Thanksgiving. Though I’m not a pumpkin spice coffee girl, I do love the smell of pumpkin spice anything else baking in the kitchen.
3. Getting out my cozy sweaters and blankets is always something fun for this former Sunshine State resident. Having never really had to wear scarves and coats for real warmth growing up, this is something so comforting for me. I love to curl up on the couch with a hot coffee and snuggly blanket too.
4. New seasons of favorite shows always pop up in the fall. This gives me fun things to watch while I’m snuggled up on the couch with that blanket and coffee. Catching up with all my favorite characters provides me a break from the world’s constant chatter. Escapism ain’t always a bad thing!
5. It’s the season of family. This is by far my favorite part of fall. Because of family birthdays and the holidays, I know that autumn begins a season of family celebrations and traditions that will last well into the spring. My family is so fortunate to have so many things to commemorate from now into the dark days of winter.

Autumn is definitely one of the things I’ve grown to love most about living where I do. To me, it’s like nature’s biggest show-off, dancing right up until the moment the last leaves fall, and winter rolls in to break up the party.