Winter 2017-18 marks my second full winter in Florida (well, my third if you count the one I spent on a cruise ship a few years back, but any temperature is frigid when you're in the middle of the ocean, so I don't count it). While the chance to attend grad school was my main impetus for moving here, the prospect of moving somewhere without any winter was a nice perk. I got down here and realized that Florida (or at least, Central Florida) did, in fact, have a winter, and it was surprisingly the best time of year. Here are some of the things I've been looking forward to since last winter drew to a close:

1. The weather

I already wrote about this in another one of my articles, but it's such a nice change of pace to live in a city where I can look forward to the winter. Summers are all sweaty armpits and frizzy hair, fall may bring hurricanes, but even as this December has gotten off to a surprisingly cold start (there's been snow in the Panhandle!) I have to appreciate that even if it did snow down here, there wouldn't be much to brush off my car. Winter also means fewer of those quick, intense afternoon rainfalls that always seem to happen when I need to be outside. No frizz, no downpours - if nothing else, my hair loves Orlando winters!

2. The fashion choices

In the land of shorts and flip-flops, I'll admit that I've become a lazy dresser. During weeks where the weather doesn't even cool down at night, it's all too easy to put on whatever you'll sweat in the least (with a light sweater and leggings if I'm going to work in an air-conditioned office). Now that it's a bit cooler, I'm having fun with how I dress again, breaking out my favorite jackets and boots that have been in the back of my closet for months now. But the best part is that I can leave the house showing my new outfit combos off, without having to bury my favorite blouse underneath a North Face.

3. The lights

I'm perfectly fine with the fact that my Disney pass is blacked out during the holidays (peak crowds - no thank you). Still, I might have to venture over to see the lights at Fort Wilderness, which are apparently something to see. I'm hoping to make it over to Lake Eola Park this weekend where the park's tree lighting ceremony was held earlier this month. The shimmering palm trees of Light Up UCF demonstrate that Christmas doesn't need to be snowy to be festive.

4. Fewer bugs

This is truly why I've been waiting for winter. Between war, I waged against baby roaches this spring and my quick surrender to the wasps in our laundry shed this summer, I've been looking forward to these critter encounters becoming much less frequent. Orlando may or may not have a killing frost in any given winter, but the number of bug sightings will dwindle nonetheless. When I started telling people in Philly that I was moving down here, everyone said, "You'll love it, but hate the bugs," and they weren't wrong.

So wherever you are (assuming you're in the Northern Hemisphere!) enjoy the shimmering lights outside and the lack of bugs inside. If you're somewhere snowy and sick of it already, know that everything passes, and come July, many Floridians will wish that they were where you are. If for some reason you like the cold and snow, then enjoy it for the both of us. I'll be sitting out in my Florida room with a hot tea and a good book.