Happy Fall Y'all....8 Reasons Why Fall is the Best Season
Updated: Sep 7
Winter, spring, summer and fall...but fall is the best season of all. Well, at least I think so!
Every year, as summer begins winding down and the first hints of fall start appearing, I find myself getting excited all over again.
I wait patiently for this season to come around, and by the time it arrives, I am more than ready for it. After months of summer heat, those first cooler mornings and crisp evenings feel like a welcome blessing.
For most of my life, I didn't really experience a change of seasons. I grew up in South Florida, where heat and humidity are pretty much always in season. We didn't have trees filled with brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. Cool fall days were few and far between. To us Floridians, temperatures in the low 70s practically qualified as sweater weather!
It was just hot...all the time.
But I still remembered the fall days I experienced as a young child when I lived in Ohio. After we moved to Florida, I missed them and longed for that kind of fall for most of my life.
Now that I live in Georgia, I get to experience the change of seasons again. When the leaves begin to change, the air turns cooler, and fall settles in, it takes me right back to those childhood days.
In some ways, fall makes me feel like a kid again, and I absolutely love that.
But there is another reason I love this season so much.
To me, fall represents beauty, change, and a brand-new beginning. Some people look at autumn as a season of things dying away. The leaves fall from the trees, flowers begin disappearing, gardens fade, and summer comes to an end.
I choose to see it a little differently. I see fall as a season for letting go of the old to make room for what is coming next.
Even the trees seem to understand how this works. They release their leaves, stand bare through the winter, and then when spring arrives, new growth appears.
There is something beautiful about that reminder.
Sometimes we have to let go of what has already had its season before we can make room for something new.
Knowing this tells me that change doesn't always have to be something we fear. Sometimes change can be beautiful, and letting go is necessary. Sometimes we have to trust that even when we can't see the new growth yet, another season is coming.
Isn't that a wonderful way to look at this time of year?
Before I share the reasons I think fall wins the award for best season, here are a few interesting things you may not know about autumn.
Want to Make This Fall a Little More Meaningful?
I created a free Simple Joys of Fall Printable Guide to help you take it easy, enjoy the little things, and make the most of this beautiful season.
Inside, you’ll find five printable pages filled with simple fall ideas, a personal bucket list, gratitude prompts, a special page for letting go and making room for what matters most, and a fun page for recording all of your favorite fall things.
Whether you use the pages all at once or enjoy them throughout the season, I hope they help you notice the beauty around you, create a few special memories, and enter fall with a grateful heart.
10 Fun Facts About Fall
1. The first day of fall is marked by the autumnal equinox.
The word equinox comes from Latin words meaning "equal night." Daylight and nighttime are close to equal around the equinox, although they aren't exactly twelve hours each everywhere.
2. Fall colors have been hiding in the leaves all summer.
Leaves contain pigments that produce yellow and orange colors, but during spring and summer they are usually hidden by green chlorophyll. As chlorophyll breaks down in the fall, those beautiful colors finally become visible.
3. Red and purple fall leaves have a different story.
Some trees actually produce additional pigments called anthocyanins in the fall, which help create those brilliant red and purple colors we love.
4. The Harvest Moon gets its name from farming.
The full moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox became known as the Harvest Moon because its bright evening light historically gave farmers additional time to gather their crops.
5. The word "fall" really does come from falling leaves.
The expression "fall of the leaf" eventually became shortened to simply "fall," which became a common name for the season.
6. "Autumn" wasn't always the most common name for the season.
Centuries ago, the season was often simply called "harvest" because it was the time of year when crops were gathered.
7. Millions of birds begin migrating during the fall.
Many species travel enormous distances to reach warmer climates or better feeding grounds before winter arrives.
8. The Arctic Tern is one of the greatest travelers in the animal kingdom.
These remarkable birds migrate between their Arctic breeding grounds and Antarctica, traveling tens of thousands of miles during their annual journey.
9. Monarch butterflies migrate too.
Each fall, monarch butterflies from parts of the United States and Canada begin an incredible journey south, with some traveling thousands of miles to reach their wintering grounds in Mexico.
10. Fall can be a wonderful time to see the Northern Lights.
Auroral activity can be especially active around the spring and fall equinoxes, making autumn a great season for sky watchers in northern locations.
And now for the important part...Why exactly do I think fall is the best season?
I'm glad you asked!
8 Reasons Why Fall is the Best Season
Beautiful Colors
I love fall colors. The reds, oranges, golds, deep greens, and warm browns make the world look completely different for a few weeks each year.
One day, the trees are mostly green, and then, suddenly, there are bursts of color everywhere. There is something amazing about driving down a road surrounded by beautiful fall trees or seeing leaves scattered across the ground that immediately makes me smile.
Nature really does put on quite a show before winter arrives.
Fabulous Weather
After the heat of summer, those first cool days of fall feel wonderful. The humidity begins to disappear, the mornings are cooler and the breeze finally feels refreshing instead of hot.
My favorite fall days are the ones when the sun is shining brightly, the sky is beautiful and blue, and there is just enough chill in the air to make you reach for a sweater. Not too hot, not too cold.
Just right.
Sweater Weather
Speaking of sweaters...I love fall clothes!
Sweaters, boots, scarves, jackets, and cozy layers finally come back out of the closet.
There is something wonderfully comfortable about fall clothing. You can bundle up without needing a winter coat, and suddenly getting dressed feels a little more fun.
Give me a soft sweater, a comfortable pair of jeans and a pair of boots and I am ready for the day.
Bonfires
Fall evenings were made for bonfires.
To me there is something so special about sitting outside on a cool evening with a fire crackling nearby.
Add marshmallows, s'mores, good conversation and some of your favorite people, and you have the ingredients for a pretty wonderful night.
Some of the best memories aren't made doing anything elaborate. Sometimes they're made sitting around a fire, laughing and talking while someone inevitably burns a marshmallow beyond recognition.
Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice
Fall has some of the best flavors of the entire year!
Pumpkin spice may get most of the attention, but there is so much more to enjoy.
Warm apple cider, cinnamon, caramel apples, maple, pecans, fresh-baked pies, hearty soups, chili, warm breads, and all of those wonderful comfort foods seem to taste even better when there is a crisp chill in the air.
There is just something comforting about a warm drink, something delicious baking in the oven and the smell of cinnamon filling the house. In fact, these make fall feel extra cozy.
Although I'm certainly not turning down the pumpkin spice either!
Cozy Nights
Fall nights practically give us permission to take it easy.
The days get shorter, the evenings get cooler, and staying home suddenly sounds like a wonderful idea.
Curl up under a blanket with a good book, watch a favorite movie, light a candle, or enjoy a warm drink while relaxing at the end of the day. And if there is a crackling fire nearby? Even better.
Some seasons seem to encourage us to keep moving. Fall reminds us that there is also something wonderful about slowing down and simply enjoying where we are.
Football Season
In our house, fall also means football!
By the time July rolls around, my family starts counting the days until football season begins.
There is only one small problem... we are a house divided.
My husband is a Packers fan, and I am a Steelers fan. Needless to say, that can make football season interesting!
But no matter which team is playing, there is something about football on a fall afternoon that just feels right. Cool weather, good food, a game on television, and perhaps a little friendly competition...that's fall at our house.
Holidays Are Around the Corner
One of my favorite things about the beginning of fall is knowing that the holiday season isn't far behind. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are waiting just around the corner. Before long, there will be family gatherings, favorite traditions, special meals, Christmas lights, music, gifts, and memories being made with the people we love.
But I also love the anticipation. Fall feels a little like the opening chapter of the holiday season. It is a time when I naturally begin thinking more about family, traditions, and everything I have to be thankful for.
And maybe that is one of the biggest reasons I love fall so much.
Fall always leads me to notice the beauty around me and to appreciate the changing seasons. It helps me to slow down, enjoy the simple things in life, and to be grateful for the people I love.
Fall also helps me to consider whether there are things I need to release before moving into a new season of life. I think about the trees that don't hold tightly to leaves whose season has ended. They let them go; and somehow, year after year, new growth comes.
So here's to fall...to colorful leaves, cool mornings, sweaters, football, pumpkin spice, warm apple cider, bonfires, cozy evenings, and all of the little things that make this season special.
Don't forget to get your FREE Copy of The Simple Joys of Fall - click here.**
But even more than that, here's to entering this season with a grateful heart. May we enjoy what is here today, let go of what has had its season, and look forward with hope to whatever God has waiting for us next.
Happy fall, y'all!
Blessings,
Amy
