There are certain times of year that just feel different, and for me, fall has always had a little something extra. I love the way the air changes, the cooler temperatures, and that unmistakable feeling that autumn is settling in. And, of course, Halloween is my favorite holiday, so fall has a pretty significant advantage right from the start.

I think part of what I love most is the weather. Fall gives us that crisp, cool air without the extremes of summer heat or winter snow. It's the perfect time to actually enjoy being outside. There's something about that slight chill in the air that makes sitting outside much more enjoyable, especially when you can pair it with a fire. And then there's the smell.

You know the one. As summer fades, the smell in the air changes and suddenly it feels like fall. Open the windows, let that cool breeze come through, and you get that unmistakable autumn smell drifting into the house. It's one of those little things that immediately puts me in the mood for the season. I also love watching everything around me start to change. The leaves begin turning colors, stores start putting out their fall and Halloween decorations, and coffee shops suddenly start offering their seasonal drinks. I don't necessarily need a particular food or drink that I wait for every year, but somehow everything just seems to taste better when it's cold outside.

Speaking of drinks, pumpkin-flavored coffee is definitely part of the fall experience for me. There's something about getting a pumpkin drink when the weather starts cooling down that just feels right. And if I can enjoy that coffee sitting outside in front of a fire, even better.

I was actually looking at fire pits before I started working on this blog. That probably tells you everything you need to know about how much I enjoy this time of year. A fire, a good coffee, and a cool evening is pretty hard to beat.

Fall is also when I get to bring out one of my favorite clothing combinations: shorts and a hoodie. If I could choose, I'd probably be perfectly content living in jeans or shorts and a hoodie year-round. Fall gives me the chance to break out the warmer clothes without having to bundle up for winter. There's something incredibly comfortable about pulling on a hoodie when there's just enough chill in the air to make it necessary.

And, naturally, cooler weather means knitting season feels even more appropriate. I think fall does influence the yarn I gravitate toward. I knew the season was coming up, so I specifically ordered some wool yarn that actually has autumn in the name. I knew it would be perfect for this time of year and that the colors would look right at home in an autumn-inspired project. That's one of the things I enjoy about knitting. The seasons can influence what I want to make without me necessarily sitting down and saying, "I'm going to make something for fall." Sometimes a particular yarn catches my attention because it simply feels like the season.

Of course, no discussion of my favorite fall things would be complete without Halloween. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I'm a huge horror fanatic. Fall is the time of year when watching horror movies feels completely natural. Not that I need an excuse to watch them, but there's something about October and spooky season that makes it feel a little less weird to spend an evening watching horror movies.

I don't have one particular fall memory that stands out above everything else. For me, it's really the entire atmosphere of the season that I enjoy. I just love the spooky. If I had to put together my ultimate list of favorite fall things, it would be pretty simple: a fire, coffee, horror movies, a slight chill in the air, and anything Halloween or fall-related.

That's really what makes autumn so enjoyable for me. It's not one particular tradition or event. It's all of those little things coming together—the changing leaves, the smell in the air, cooler temperatures, warmer clothes, seasonal drinks, fires outside, and an excuse to fill the month with spooky things.

Fall feels like the perfect middle ground. It's cool enough to be comfortable but not yet cold enough to keep you inside. You can open the windows, sit outside, enjoy a fire, grab an iced coffee, throw on a hoodie, and watch the world around you change.

And if there's a horror movie playing in the background? Even better. For me, that's fall. A little chill, a little cozy, a little spooky—and plenty of reasons to enjoy being outside before winter arrives.

- Blair

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