UNITED STATES—I know I am going to catch some slack for saying this, but I am so happy that the month of August is almost over. Why? It’s a sign that summer is coming to an end and fall is here. I hate summer. I have no problem telling that to the world. I’m not a fan of heat or humidity.

I never have been since I was a kid. The fall is probably my favorite season of all seasons. The cool weather, school is back in session, Halloween is right around the corner, you have Thanksgiving, you have Christmas, there is just so much going on that you’re busy and on the move and I love that if I’m being honest.

Now the only drawback is that it gets dark a lot earlier during the fall months compared to the summer months where you can be outside past 9 p.m. and you still see light. With fall being ushered in that is not the case people. You find yourself hoping the daylight remains until at least 8 o’clock on most days because let’s face it more people are out and about during the fall months.

You have kids’ sports, you have after school programs, you have crazy, chaotic work schedules, you have holiday gatherings, trick-or-treating, Christmas shopping, the list goes on and on. However, with all that going on you also have football season in full force. That means high school football on Fridays, college football on Saturdays and of course professional football on Sundays.

The fall season just ushers in like the birth of a new year if that even makes sense. Yes, January is considered the start of the year, but a lot of the time I see September as the official kickoff of the year in an odd, but strange way. You get the opportunity to pull out on that clothing that has been shoved away in the closet that you have not been able to touch or wear. Jeans, sweats, jackets, boots, sweaters, fleece and a host of other items as well people.

There is a ton of versatility that comes with the fall season that you do not have with winter, spring and summer. Not just the cool weather, the change of clothing, the holidays and sports, you also have specific food items that get ushered in full force. Pumpkin anyone? Yes, I know it is NOT everyone’s cup of tea and I can indeed agree. However, pumpkin cheesecake is great and who doesn’t like carving a pumpkin to display outside your house just in time for Halloween? You have peppermint that ushers its way in just after Thanksgiving ends people. So it gets you into the festive Christmas mood people.

With all that said, you have the feasts of Thanksgiving and Christmas that gives you so many options when it comes to food our gluttony as human beings comes out in full force America. I guess what I am saying is that there is just so much to do in the fall that it just brings an epic smile to my face that other seasons just don’t come close to doing.