Hey hey hey, how are you doing today?! Today I'm doing a lot better. I think that it was due to the cold and ache yesterday.

I'm early today!

It was really cold this morning – winter is in full force out there. And before it showed up I wanted to tell you a little secret about winter… you know this cold season that we have to face every year! Some people can't stand it because it's dark at 5PM. Some see it as an opportunity to get together for a cozy meal with family or friends even if they have to face a little snow.

Personally I'm a little divided … I'm the kind of person who wants to be in the summer when you're in winter and vice versa. I'm hopeless I know.

On the one hand I do not like winter much because every time I put my nose out out the door I have to wrap myself in 8 layers of clothes and because it feels like night in the late afternoon it depresses me …

But on the other hand, it's such a magical season! Full of so much coziness. So I decided to stay focused on the positive and share my top 5 of my little winter pleasures with you today:

1. Christmas – How can we talk about winter without talking about Christmas? It's THE celebration with the people you love, sharing, the excitement of gifts… (food , see point number three). In short it's once a year but there's a special atmosphere that usually sad once it's over, something we call the Christmas blues.
2. Holiday spirit – Beyond Christmas as described above, I love the days before Christmas! The advent calendar, Christmas festivals, gift buying, hot chocolate… in short all those little details that make the month of December a delicious time that I like to revel in.
3. Food – Because food is a big part of family life, that's my number one reason for winter loving winter. My family is happy to spread hot cheese on any edible surface. No need to worry about putting on a belly because you ate too much, that is just part of winter. In short I will never spend a winter without one really satisfying family meal a week.
4. Ugly Winter sweaters – Ok this may be something that only concerns me, but I love the sweaters we get to wear during the winter. The ugly ones. My daughter is in the age where she wouldn't be caught dead in them, and she hates it when I wear them for fear that someone might see us when we go out. But not I. They are the kind of clothes that when you're a kid everyone thinks it's sweet but as soon as you grow up everyone thinks it's weird… but I don't care if I regress a little, I feel like a big child at times.
5. Skiing – Contrary to what you think, skiing and I started off in a rocky relationship. I didn't try it again until I met my first serious boyfriend, my one and only serious husband who convinced me to try again. Though I had to endure a lot of bumps and bruises on the beginner slope. Still, I ended up enjoying skiing… Even though I have aches and pain the next day and my daughter tells me that I walk like a cowboy it has its rewards as well.

Simple, to the point. These are the things I look forward to every winter.