I try my hardest not to complain about the summer. I spend the majority of the winter bitching about it being too cold. I feel like I can really only have one season I’m allowed to hate or else it’s just me being miserable 50% of the time. Summer is long and hot but it’s the lesser of two evils when compared to winter. But I’d rather do without summer as well. It’s the ending of August. Fall is right around the corner and it cannot come soon enough.

Fall is the greatest season by far. If you don’t agree with me, then you’re wrong. This is one of those rare cases when opinions are also facts. My girl Wendi, over at This, That and the Other Thang knows what’s up. She recently went over all the ways that fall is infinitely better than summer and I couldn’t agree with her more. Here are 25 of my own reasons why fall is the best of the best.

1. Football season. Football is the best sport to watch and the beginning of fall also coincides with the beginning of football.

2. Baseball playoffs. Football may be the most fun sport to watch but baseball will always have my heart. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is better than a game 7 between two equally matched teams. And not to get all superior Yankee fan on everyone but being a fan of the pinstripes means that I’ve enjoyed plenty of playoff games in my lifetime.

3. I lose weight. There’s this myth that people lose weight in the summer and tend to gain more weight in the cooler months. I’m not buying it. For the past few years, I’ve packed on an extra 5-10 pounds in the summer months. Pounds that I gradually lose during the fall. I blame it on all the bbqs and beer in July and August.

4. Halloween. Christmas may be number one on my list of favorite holidays but Halloween is the most fun. What’s better than a holiday that lets you dress up and eat tons of candy?

5. Thanksgiving. Halloween and Thanksgiving are tied for second on my list of favorite holidays. I really, really love Thanksgiving. Between the parade and tons and tons of food, Thanksgiving is the best!

6. The cooler weather. I want a dollar every time I use the word crisp when describing the weather in fall. I’d have a whole lot of dollars. Fall is a great season to be outside and enjoy the crisp weather. *places a dollar in the crisp weather jar*

7. All the pretty colors. Oh man is fall beautiful. Like, really, really beautiful. I prefer my leaves to be more than just different shades of green.

8. Boots, sweaters, and leggings. That is my go-to uniform throughout fall. It’s comfy and adorable. And it conceals those extra pounds before I fully lose them.

9. Apple and pumpkin picking. This activity is not just for kiddies. Going to a local farm for some apple and pumpkin picking is a great fall activity, and when you get home you can bake a fresh apple pie and carve some pumpkins.

10. Staying inside without feeling guilty. If I spend all day or all night inside during the summer, I feel a little guilty. Don’t get me wrong, I still do it. But there is a sense of guilt that I should be outside enjoying the warm weather. Fall is made for staying indoors with a hot beverage and your favorite book or movie.

11. The start of winter aka the only time it’s tolerable. Winter technically starts on December 22nd but we all know that the cold, winter weather starts way before that date. But when winter weather seeps into fall, it’s not a bad thing. We’re not at that point where we’re sick of snow and digging our cars out. The first snow fall usually happens in November (October if winter wants to be a real bitch) and it’s still exciting and fun to see snow at this stage.

12. Haunted houses and other Halloween-related festivities. I love getting scared. I’ll gladly pay $40 to have someone jump out of the bushes and scare me to death. Haunted houses, haunted corn mazes, haunted hay rides. You add the word haunted in front and I’m down.

13. Scary movies. Scary movies are my favorite genre. I will watch them no matter the season but curling up under a blanket during the fall while watching a scary movie is oh so satisfying.

14. Bugs go back to their rightful place in this world. And that place is hell! It’s no secret that bugs are my biggest enemy and that I hate them with a passion. They come out swinging when the weather gets warmer and it’s one of the main reasons I can’t be fully down with summer. But during the fall they make their descent back down to the fiery pits of hell where they belong.

15. Comfort food. Give me stews, pies, casseroles, pot roasts! Give me it all! Fall is made for comfort food.

16. No shaving. No more summer dresses, bikinis, or shorts means that I can let my legs get as hairy as I want. It’s a beautiful thing.

17. Dark toenails, fingernails, and hair. My default color for my nails in the summer is pink. But dark reds, browns, and even black are so much cooler. It makes me, the least hardcore person you will ever meet, feel a bit edgy.

18. You can actually chill outside. When summer really kicks in, you cannot just chill outside unless you are by water. When winter really kicks in, you cannot chill outside period. The only time I spend outside in the winter is the walk to my car, and even that makes me want to cry. But fall, fall is amazing. Throw on a big sweater or a light jacket and you can sit outside all day!

19. Bonfires and s’mores. You know what helps warm you up if the fall weather gets a little too crisp (another dollar for me)? A warm fire. Add some chocolate and marshmallows to that fire and it’s a party!

20. Back-to-school sales. Even if you’re not going back to school in the fall, you can still take advantage of back-to-school sales. It’s the perfect time to stock up on all the extra highlighters you need in your life.

21. It smells great outside. This is one that I can’t even fully describe. Fall just has this certain smell to it that’s amazing. I wish I could bottle it up and wear it all year round. With less sweaty bodies and hot garbage outside, the air just smells cleaner.

22. Scarves and hats are great ways to accessorize. Fall clothing really is the greatest. Throwing on a colorful scarf or hat before you walk out the door can turn a mundane outfit fashionable.

23. Crunchy leaves. That dog is having so much fun and I want to play right along with him. Whether you’re eight or eighty (or a dog), nothing is more satisfying than playing in crunchy, colorful leaves.

24. An extra hour of sleep. Sure it is a little depressing the first time you step out of work and the sun has already set, but that extra hour of sleep you gain during daylight saving time almost makes up for it.

25. The best of the holiday season. Technically the holidays are in the winter, but the holiday season occurs during fall. The majority of “the most wonderful time of the year” happens before winter ever really begins.