I have a love/hate relationship with winter. But having winter is better than the alternative – not having it!
Here’s my list of pros and cons.

Photo credit: http://www.innovationweatherassociates.com
10 Things I Hate About Winter
- Dark before 5 p.m.
- Having to idle the car when waiting for someone (for heat)
- Sitting near a drafty window
- Uncooperative locks
- Slipping on ice and falling on your butt
- Shovelling snow in the rain before it freezes again
- Driving in freezing rain especially when it sticks to the windshield wipers
- Icy conditions that prevent going out for walks for weeks on end
- The grey-brown landscape when there is no snow
- Those times when you just can’t get warm
The short version is: winter would be fine without the cold and the travel woes 🙂
10 Things I Love About Winter
- Watching snow flakes fall
- Beautiful snow-covered trees (or even ice-covered trees)
- Being snowed in on stormy days, home safe – with electricity
- Skating on a lake
- Knits: chunky sweaters and scarves
- Television: Superbowl, Academy Awards, Grammy Awards
- Peppermint lattés
- Warm bowls of soup or stew
- Lighting candles in the evenings
- Chickadees!
And another thing I love about winter: no black flies or mosquitoes!
What are your loves and hates?
Have to agree with the bug thing, that really is a positive. Not a fan of winter either. I do love to have a White Christmas, otherwise I don’t like snow period!! Had to drive in freezing rain the other night and it was not fun at all!!
Gill
That is the worst! Especially when you have to pull over and clean off the wiper blades!
Your posts are always awesome… I really should not be so rushed & comment more!! I’m with you, i’m not a winter person mostly, but there is a lot of beauty in the season all the same!! My favourite thing about winter i playing in the snow with my kids and seeing the joy on their faces with the first snow! Which we’re still waiting for… my least favourite, i’m quite slim so am *ALWAYS* cold. Always. lol!
Thank you! I have to admit I used to like winter more when I had a young kid who liked to play outside (winter is still Link’s favourite season, though!) I’m with you – ’tis very pretty but I am always cold!
I love the still and quiet after a snowfall.. and absolutely hate the mountains of laundry (all the extra clothes!).
Oh yeah, hockey season!
Oh I watched mosquitos dance on my balcony this morning (light at 5.45am!) and admired my newly installed screen for the window and the closed sliding door… sigh. But last night I did rejoice that as my errands continued to 8pm, it was still light… To read blogs and see ‘warm’ photos of candles and trees and decorations is lovely, but oh so different!
I am not sure if the association between Christmas and cold is because of the pervasiveness of North American culture, or the roots of Christian and pagan traditions in Europe, or what, but it must be very alienating for everyone near the equator or in the southern hemisphere!
I’m glad you did love AND hate. I love the long dark nights, sitting in front of the fire reading really long books, taking a break once in a while to steam a latte or bake Toll House Cookies.
Me too! I love “the great indoors”!
Me too!! I agree with all 20 of the things you posted!
I trust you are completely out of any snow zones. I am not sure what I think about cold weather without snow, like we are having now. Safe for travel, I guess.
The only thing I would disagree with are the peppermint lattes. Can’t stand peppermint or lattes 🙂
I hate the static in my hair and clothes and my super dry skin in the winter. But I love Christmas and winter sports 🙂
I don’t think of myself as someone who does winter sports, but I like skating. My least favourite thing is shovelling heavy, wet snow after it has turned to rain!