Why I Fell for Fall?

Every season growing up In Philly (Kensington for me) was a great experience. The snow in the winter provided many hours of fun. Spring brought a welcome relief from the cold and some great holidays. Summer meant no school, trips to the shore and lakes, and lots of late-night games as it got dark later. Yes, it was hot as hell in our brick houses, but we always had the steps to sleep on.

For me, Fall was the most special. I loved the crisp weather, and the holidays were the best. Halloween and Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas and New Year (yes, they were technically in winter, but barely), provided weeks of great preparation. Trips to Wanamaker’s to see Santa, the Mummers, and all that candy from Halloween just got you a bit silly. That’s a good thing if you are ten years old.

We complain now about companies advertising Halloween in September, but in the 1950s, they waited till October. Somehow, the wait for special candy, pumpkin spice flavors and Jack-O-Lanterns was worth it. Oh, and how about Ginger Snap Cookies you could only get in the Fall?

Then, there were all the new Fall shows on our three channels of Television. No more watching reruns in the summer. The World Series provided many hours of glee for my grandfather, and I was always happy when he was happy. When that was finished, he had Football.

In school, we collected colorful leaves to make art and drew pictures of Santa, Turkeys, and Pilgrims. Fall was also when the new cars came out. Each one had a different style, and we took pride in knowing which style was from which company. That is hard to do now that cars all look alike.

We all have our own special season, and mine has remained Fall for my 79 years on this earth. You may like Spring, Winter, or Summer better. If so, tell us in the comments and describe what makes your favorite season special.

You can see more photos (1260) on my https://mercyrow.com/pages/philly-tales-photos