10 Things Iowans Love–And Hate–About Winter
Winter in the Midwest is...a thing that happens. You can prepare for it but you can't really avoid it (unless you travel somewhere warm, in which case, I hate you).
There are certainly things about winter that aren't ideal, but it's not ALL bad. A poll by News Anyway asked people to name their favorite--and least favorite--parts of winter. Let's start with the good:
- The crisp air in the morning.
- How it looks outside covered in snow.
- Cozy nights by the fireplace.
- Walks through crunching leaves.
- Christmas lights.
- Not feeling guilty about staying in--just lounge at home in your PJs and call it a night.
- Amazing sunrises and sunsets.
- It's the best time of year for comfort food.
- The smells.
- Holiday shopping.
And now for the stuff we dread:
- Missing the hotter weather and sunshine.
- High heating bills.
- Having to scrape ice off the car windows.
- NEVER being warm enough.
- Having to get out of bed when the house is freezing.
- Going to work and coming home in the dark (this is definitely MY #1).
- Being surrounded by sick people and constant sniffling and coughing.
- Crowds at stores.
- Christmas displays in stores put up too early (can we at least wait until NOVEMBER?).
- The horrible moment of freezing when you get out of the shower.
I think this list is actually pretty spot-on...though I'm surprised that "putting on extra weight" didn't rank higher on the "hate" list. And what about sledding? Or building a snowman? What's not to like about those?
Check out the full list here. Any other suggestions?