I am nowhere near a winter person. I could have the best season debate a hundred times and no one could change my mind that summer is the best season of the year. I love the sun, the long nights, the beach days, being tan… I could go on forever and never run out of things to love about the summer. On the other hand, I hate being cold, gloomy nights that start at 4 p.m., driving through the snow, looking around at dead trees for months on end, and the list goes on. Every season for me is a countdown to summer, and winter is by far my least favorite.

I can't bring myself to understand how winter could be anyone's favorite season, but I absolutely love everything about the holidays.

I haven't been a huge fan of Halloween since the days when I'd trade candy with my siblings after trick-or-treating, and now I'm the type of person listening to Christmas music on the first day of November. As soon as fall begins, I look forward to the day when people switch from "spooky season" to holiday season every year. The family traditions, the music and food, the holiday spirit everywhere you look. It really is the best time of the year.

Every year I get so excited for the holiday dinners and celebrations when family and friends will pack into a house, squeeze together around a table, and talk, eat, and laugh together all day and night. There's nothing like getting together with all the people you're grateful for and spending time together during the holidays. Given this is my favorite part of the holidays, I don't need snow and freezing cold to get into the holiday spirit. So, even the people who love winter because of the holidays can't convince me to love winter.

As soon as New Year's Day hits, I'm ready for it to be springtime. But unfortunately, I live in the Northeast, and once winter is here, it won't leave for months and endless months. That's why, as soon as I can graduate and find a job, I'm moving somewhere where winter doesn't feel like winter. I want the sun on my skin and the warm sand under my feet year round, not the short few months I get now.

So, although I'm thrilled for it to be the holiday season, and happily anticipating the good times and cheer that Christmas brings, give me a month and I'll once again be counting down the days until summer.