Fall in Florida is far different from the crisp Autumn the majority of the country enjoys as football season begins and the daylight hours shorten.

Down here, it stays unbearably warm, muggy and rainy. Like, rain everyday rainy. Jacksonville is about an hours drive north of Gainesville, but damn – it really felt like a swamp here last week! The mercury is finally dropping and I am rocking my new ankle boots,  maroon skirt and oversized scarfs.

Here are my five favorite things about fall:

1. Cinnamon broomsticks
According to the Palm Beach Post, Publix sells 3 million of the handmade, pine-straw brooms a year. Bring on the cinnamon.

2. Sweaters
I love a good comfy sweater, but living in Florida means rocking flip flops and tank tops the majority of the year. The minute the temperature drops below 75, I break out all my comfy cardigans and chunky knits. I’ve had this L.L. Bean fisherman sweater bookmarked for weeks.

3. Hot Coffee
Cooler temperatures means it’s socially acceptable to down hot coffee like a Gilmore. No more of that watered-down iced coffee nonsense. And of course, pumpkin flavoring.

4. New TV shows
Fall means new seasons of all my favorite shows. I don’t watch a TON of TV. I prefer reading but new episodes of Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder and Empire take up my Thursday nights. And the best family-friendly show on-air right now is Fresh Off The Boat. I have to pause it at least once an episode to catch my breathe from a long belly laugh.

5. And last but not least, FOOTBALL.
I am so blessed to live in an NFL city where I get to tailgate with old friends and go to games. My group of friends have had season tickets in the same section for years and they have tailgating down to an art. The food, drinks and friends are always a great time – rain or shine.