Don’t get me wrong, I really do love summer. Those very rare boiling hot days in the UK are few and far between and it’s feeling like a game of roulette waking up each morning this year! With autumn, you know what to expect. There are a million reasons autumn is my favourite season, but I suppose I’ll just write 22 here in case you’re busy…

1. Thick tights, Doc Martens and leather jackets. The fashion is just the best in autumn, no contest. It’s all about feeling warm and dry and there’s absolutely no pressure to be tanned anywhere. Oh, and you can get away with not shaving your legs from this point on so you can count that as a win.
   
2. Hedgehogs start snuffling about a bit more because they’re getting ready for winter hibernation. The poor little pricklies are endangered in the UK, so autumn is our chance to look out for them and spot if any diddy ones need some extra food to stock up for winter. Here are some tips to help hedgehogs in your neighbourhood if you’re not sure what to do.
   
3. My lizard queen tendencies mean I’m usually wrapped in a scarf or thick jumper for most of the day – even through summer. So when autumn arrives, people generally stop giving me funny looks for being a floating head covered in tartan polyester.
   
4. Clogs. I don’t know why autumn suddenly means I want to dig out my Swedish Lottas and bedsocks and clomp about the garden but there you go.
   
5. An excuse to stay indoors. If you know me, you’re already aware of just how lazy I am. Being indoors is my favourite, so if I can blame the shitty weather for never having to open my front door I absolutely will.
   
6. It’s hot chocolate season! There’s nowt else to say about that really, except that since I was bought the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser any cold day has improved by 100%.
   
7. All the orange and red leaves on the ground are perfect Instagram fodder. I tell you, Saltaire looks bloody gorgeous when the trees turn bright red. Raise your hand if you’ve ever posted a perfectly framed, golden-filtered photo of leaves on your feed?
   
8. An extra hour in bed. Seriously, what is not to love about that? The clocks go back an hour when it gets to autumn, and I loooooove a cosy lie-in, so I’m usually found enjoying that extra hour being toasty warm in the morning.
   
9. Slathering myself with moisturiser. Autumn makes my skin feel like the life is slowly being drawn out of it, buuuuut that means I get to use my favourite moisturisers and spend a few minutes getting sluggy. There’s no better feeling than your skin showing you how thankful it is for a bit of moisture!
   
10. Binge-watching Halloween movies (and Halloween vibes in general). Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, The Craft, The Shining, Beetlejuice, Coraline…
    
11. Slipper socks are finally acceptable outside of your living room. Hey – my feet get cold and those cheap Primark trainer socks just aren’t going to cut it until April.
    
12. People finally stop posting their beach holiday pictures, and I stop sulking about not having had a holiday for a few years. Whoop!
    
13. Stodge, stodge, and more stodge. Autumn is all about the cosy comfort foods for work lunches and evening teas. Goodbye avocado salads, and hello 95% potato dishes!
    
14. Having two fat cats snoozing on the duvet while you’re trying to sleep during the summer can very sweaty. But come autumn, those little furry bellies are brilliant hot water bottles.
    
15. Chunky cardigans. They’re my staple autumn/winter clothing and the chunkier, the better. I have one cable knit an old colleague affectionately named my ‘cat piss cardi’ because it looks a bit, well, cat ladyish. Disclaimer: it has never been anywhere near cat piss.
    
16. Cosy evenings in the pub. See, sometimes I do leave the house. And when I do, it’s usually to nip to the pub for a gin and a chat near the fire. Even better if there’s a pub dog.
    
17. Wearing black and grey all the time actually makes it a lot easier getting dressed in the morning. The warmer months usually mean I feel the need to wear bright colours, which becomes an issue when I’ve only given myself 10 minutes to get ready.
    
18. Comfy pyjamas don’t feel so annoying to wear. In summer, pyjamas are an idiot move. But by the time it gets around to autumn, I’m desperate to get out every set of cute pyjamas I own. Then come winter time, I’ll iron them before bed…YOU HEARD ME!
    
19. Those lovely darker mornings. Honestly, I love waking up when it’s dark outside. It makes me feel like I’m up super early and ready to be productive. Waiting for autumn to come around to get motivated isn’t normal, is it. Pretty sure I’m secretly a bat.
    
20. Reading and puzzling. Because the weather’s mostly rainy, and I love being indoors anyway, I’m more inclined to spend my time reading and working through puzzle books. If you didn’t get it already; yes I’m practically a grandma.
    
21. Eating mac and cheese more than once a week feels perfectly fine and normal and actually good for you…I assume.
    
22. Leeds Light Night. It’s my favourite night of the year! I love wandering around the city looking at the exhibits and then catching up with friends at Bundobust. It’s a tradition now!

There you have it, 22 reasons I would like autumn to just appear round the corner now. Do you have other favourite things to do when autumn arrives?