Last Friday, one of my students asked me to write the date on the blackboard. So I did. I wrote the day's date, which was Friday 24th October. All of a sudden, I realised: it's Halloween next week! Furthermore, the clocks turned back last night. That can mean only one thing: autumn has officially arrived.
Happily for me, autumn is my favourite time of year.
Before I continue, I have a confession to make. Something that has been troubling me for some time. Now that the leaves are falling and the supermarket shelves are full of premature Christmas chocolates, it is the perfect time to confess. I don't love summer.
Wait, let me explain! I know what you must be thinking - she's mad. What's not to love about summer? In summer, the sun shines, school is closed for the summer holidays and you can eat all the ice cream you want. It's the perfect opportunity for adventure and relaxation, right?
Wrong! Well, not completely wrong. There are a lot of things to love about summer. But, living in England, summer can seem a bit overrated. The weather is usually rainy and terrible. The famous '99p Flake' (a delicious ice cream cone with a chocolate bar stuck in the top) actually costs around £1.50. Moreover, summer always goes so quickly. Summer is like a flash of lightning or a shooting star - blink, and you've missed it.
As summer turns to autumn, the leaves turn from green to beautiful shades of red, yellow and gold. We replace barbeques with bonfires. Sweaty summer days are forgotten as, in the colder weather, we reach for scarves and gloves and thick, cosy jumpers. Sadly, we do have to go back to school. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. But this means autumn is the perfect excuse to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate.
And, finally, the main reason to love autumn: Christmas is coming!
What's your favourite time of year?
