Anyone who knows me knows that I have many likes and obsessions that fluctuate between the months, seasons and sometimes just the days. Whatever the particular passion, I could talk about it for hours, but I’ll spare you the hours and just write a couple hundred words instead.

In my opinion, fall is the best season. It is the time of year where clothing is layered, and the ground is covered in red and orange. Fall exists between a short span of months before it gets too cold to be outside, and most importantly, it is the season with the best drinks. 

This year, fall started on August 30th, the day when Starbucks began selling pumpkin in stores. On that Tuesday after school,  I drove to my Crawford and Central Starbucks and got two items I had been anticipating all year: an iced chai latte with a shot of espresso and pumpkin cream cold foam, and a pumpkin scone. 

The Starbucks pumpkin scone was a formative part of my childhood. I remember on countless October days taking that bright white frosting out of a brown and green bag and examining each side to see which part of the scone I should eat first. Back then I’d have apple cider next to me, and every time I would burn my tongue because I wasn’t patient enough to wait for it to cool down. While the scone stays constant, my hot fall drinks now have a lot more caffeine. I recommend an americano with pumpkin sauce for a milk free but still creamy and sweet coffee option. You could also try Taylor Swift’s classic fall drink, a caramel nonfat latte.

Apart from Starbucks, one of my other long anticipated fall favorites is Halloween. Every year in my house, October 31st is a big celebration. We dress up, the kids trick or treat, we pass out candy from the front yard, people watch, and we eat whatever candy doesn’t get taken. We order pizza and eat cake celebrating my mom’s birthday, which takes place on that same day, and wake up November first with a holiday hangover. 

While I still celebrate Halloween as a teenager, I feel like it is a lot more fun for younger kids. One of my favorite parts of the day is watching small children walk up and down the blocks and up to houses asking for candy in an adorable costume. I remember how excited I was to come home from school in first grade and turn into the sugar plum fairy, or be transformed into Ms. America for our fifth grade parade. 

Unlike Halloween, Thanksgiving is often overlooked as a fall holiday. Each year I go to Texas and see family, and we all eat completely home cooked meals prepared at our family ranch in the middle of nowhere. It’s a very conventional Thanksgiving day. We get up and watch the parade while drinking coffee, eat a meal packed with Thanksgiving classics, half of us nap and then go back for seconds. At the end of the night we all gather by the campfire and eat our choice of pie while sharing stories of our favorite family memories. It’s a day full of family, joy, and lots of food. The next day we brave the crowds at Walmart and walk into WhatABurger in a large group. Whatever the occasion, I feel extremely grateful that fall can bring many excuses to gather with friends and family.