The (hidden) benefits to cold weather

I've been thinking about it for a while (like 2 days). There are lot of obvious reasons cold weather is fun. Hot cocoa, Christmas, food-based holidays, sledding, scarves, hot baths, food-based holidays....I could go on.

But what I've been thinking about are the less-than-obvious benefits to cold weather. And here they are.

1. This is mostly for girls. Less need to shave legs, so less leg shaving. I mean, with tights, jeans, sweats, knee high socks, long skirts, I could probably go at least 2 weeks without a blade, maybe even a month.

2. Pasty white skin is totally acceptable. For guys AND girls. So chances of skin cancer are slightly lessened by the lack of sun exposure.

3. Pound gainage is muuuuuch easier to hide with jeans and layers of shirts, jackets, scarves....

4. For those who are vertically challenged, meaning afraid of heights, not short, the invitation to go rock climbing doesn't occur with near the frequency it does in warmer seasons. This means I look like a chicken less often because I don't have to admit to my fears as much.

5. Watching a lot of movies doesn't seem as lazy as it does in summer months because it's just too cold to go out!

6. This is a personal one. But when it gets cold, my family, specifically my 12 year old sister, stops giving me guff about using five blankets every night, one of which is a down comforter.

As I'm reading back on all my grand "benefits" to cold weather, I'm realizing that most of them have to do with me letting myself go a little while still maintaining some self esteem. Oh well, that will be benefit number 10 :)

Happy Halloween-skis, everyone!!