I’m going to tell you something potentially controversial. I am a winter person. Summer is not my season. Whenever I tell people this, they often widen their eyes at me as if I’ve said something so offensive that I should be punished for it.
I know the sun boosts endorphins and brings a positive vibe, but I just don’t get the appeal of squinting, sweating and beaches. I’m an indoor person so, in summer, the introvert in me feels so guilty for not wanting to be outside, frolicking in the good weather. I prefer dark, stormy days with wind howling and rain beating down hard against my window, snuggled up inside, where I feel safe and warm.
Is that so bad? I love winter so much that I literally got married in the snow. On purpose. Not many people do that. Most people choose a garden or beach in the summer to share their nuptials. Not me – I chose a snowstorm in Queenstown and it was magical. (Let’s not focus on the fact that marriage is now over, though, OK? Like the weather, I also believe relationships come in seasons!)
There are so many reasons why I love winter. It gives you permission to stay in. Permission to cook something warm and comforting. Permission to be horizontal under a heavy duvet at 9pm without anyone judging you.
I prefer to be cold rather than hot. It’s much easier to warm up than cool down. I also love winter clothes. Boots, jeans, an oversized knitted jumper… For one, it hides my fat rolls and, two, it gives me an excuse not to shave my legs!
The pressure of summer is exhausting. Everyone wants a barbecue, a beach trip or a festival. Putting sunblock on my back, neck and shoulders every day is a chore, and finding something to wear that doesn’t make my thighs chafe is another drama.
Winter is my happy place. So for the next three months, you’ll find me tucked up inside, wearing layers, eating carbs and feeling absolutely no guilt about declining outdoor activities.
I come alive when the temperature drops, the sky turns moody and staying home becomes not just acceptable, but encouraged. Doesn’t that sound like bliss?
