It has long been a competition between the snowy days of winter and the lengthy and warm summer nights over which season truly reigns supreme. It is for this reason that when asked about one's favorite season, the two likely responses are winter or summer.

But what many people seem to forget about are the crisp days that fall between these two polar opposites. These days are filled with pumpkins, scarecrows, and a colorful array of leaves that can all be described as FALL. Although many people seem to neglect fall as they mourn the passing of summer and anxiously await summer, I find it extremely easy to fall for fall every year.

1. Pumpkins

Yes I will be honest, I am a typical pumpkin loving white girl, and I am proud of it! Absolutely nothing screams fall like pumpkins. Whether it be pumpkin picking, carving jack-o-lanterns, or on that glorious day when the pumpkin spice latte finally makes its triumphant return to the menus of our local Starbucks, pumpkins act as the mascot of fall.

2. Fall Foods

A trip back to my hometown during fall is jam packed with me trying to take in (and mostly digest) every aspect of fall my hometown has to offer. No trip home would be complete without Apple Cider Doughnuts from Johnsons Farm, Candy Corn and my personal favorite: Pumpkin French Toast.

3. Hay Rides

The fall season would be incomplete without going on an annual hayride. Whether you prefer a classic hay ride with stops for apple picking, or an eerie haunted hayride experience after the sun goes down, you can always ensure your going to have a good time.

4. Boots

Nothing beats fall clothes, which include staples such as comfy sweatshirts, cute cardigans and my personal favorite item of clothing: BOOTS! Whether it be combat boots, riding boots or of course UGGS, nothing beats the first day when the weather is just cold enough to break out your beloved boots.

6. Autumn Scenery

There is one fact that even enemies of fall can't deny: the unique scenery of fall. Watching the leaves change from green to a wide variety of warm oranges, reds and yellows remind us that no matter what the coming year brings, the beautiful and certain process of the leaves changing is a treat you can always count on.

7. Scary Movies

It's always a great time to have a fall sleepover with your girls and watch (even though it may be through your fingers or under a blanket), classic scary movies. No matter how many times you've seen them. Nothing gets your heart racing more than knowing the killer is about to sneak up behind the heroin while your sitting on your couch munching on a bowl of popcorn.

8. Halloween

Growing up, my dad made it a mission to install a vast love of Halloween in us (whether we liked it or not at times). He showed us the joy of decorating your house to be spooky, the art of trading your Halloween candy after you get home, and the fact that you are NEVER to old to dress up for Halloween (he's in his 50s, and yes, he still dresses up for Halloween).

Although some of my reasons for loving fall may make me seem basic, there is absolutely nothing basic about the unique opportunities and scenic images that come along between that magical time between the two most popular seasons. I look forward to FALLing for fall for many years to come.