The crisp air of autumn is blowing through our little valley and a slight chill is coming with it. The ground was soft with a blanket of yellow and red, now turning crunchy and crisp. Our mountain’s colors are fading. There are so many aspects of autumn to be admired and absorbed. It has wonderful events and holidays as it has colors and smells to enjoy. The following list includes some of the best that autumn has to offer, and what we have to look forward to during this season.

• Halloween is fast approaching.

Halloween is, in my opinion, the most fun holiday of the year. It is a day of the year when you can dress up however you want, pretend to be whoever you want to be, and have a great time doing it with your friends and family who get to do the same. The preparation for Halloween is fun too! Carving pumpkins into scary faces, hanging cobwebs on the pines, and baking delicious pumpkin seeds are only some of the ways to get into the mood for this festive holiday.

• Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

Not only is Thanksgiving day quality family time, but it has arguably the best meal of any day of the year. It is rare to find someone who doesn’t enjoy the salty taste of stuffing, creaminess of mashed potatoes, tanginess of cranberry sauce, and sweetness of apple pie. With full stomachs, families sit together, give thanks for what we have, and talk about dreams for our future. Thanksgiving is a wholesome and great American holiday for everyone to enjoy.

• Fall’s perfect weather is here.

The hot summer air has given way to a crisp and fresh breeze. It has cooled down enough that it isn’t too hot to be outside in the middle of the day. With cooler weather, the outdoor activities take on a new feel. One can go on a bike ride through long winding roads while admiring the canopy of color. The sun is warming and doesn’t beat down like it can in the summer. Hiking in the fall is another way to bask in this beautiful weather.

• Winter is just a blink away.

The peaks are about to be covered in a thick layer of white, and the slopes will turn into a giant amusement park. Skiing and snowboarding are two of the activities that most of us have been waiting to jump back into, but there is also sledding, ice skating, snowshoeing, cross-country, and more. If you are not a fall person, you can at least be excited that winter is soon to come.

• There is going to be a time change soon.

On Sunday, November 1st, all of the clocks will be moved back one hour. 8:00 am will be the new 7:00 am. This means that everyone gets to sleep in one hour later, and every high school student knows that sleep itself is a huge reason to be happy that fall is here.

• Comfort clothes are now fashionable.

Cozy sweaters, scarfs, sweatpants, and leggings are out in abundance. Comfort clothes make the days feel a little easier, and they look good too. Fall is a time when coziness doesn’t have to be sacrificed for fashion, because it is the fashion.

• Pumpkin flavors are in.

Even if the typical pumpkin spice latte isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other delicious and seasonal pumpkin flavors to enjoy. Pumpkin bread is back on our shelves, and pumpkin pie is all the riot. Roasting pumpkin seeds can be a family favorite, and now there are even pumpkin candies for sale.

• The mountains are tinted with the colors of the leaves.

The colors of the leaves are perhaps Aspen’s biggest draw in the fall. The varying shades of reds and yellows on the mountain side can brighten even the gloomiest of days. The leaves are not only a sight to behold in the trees, but make for fun on the ground as well. The crackling and crunching sounds of the leaves beneath boots create a beautiful symphony. The sound and feel of fall is heartwarming, and something to always look forward to in Aspen.