The last time Central Florida had snow was in the 1980’s, and yes that was a long time ago, unfortunately. Last year had a bit of snow. However, the best part of winter time in Florida (FL) is being able to enjoy winter festivities while also not freezing to an extreme extent. Opening the weather app as the weeks go by, is starting to feel more exciting, as the temperatures are slowly dropping. Teens here love to imagine being able to have snowball fights, or have snow days off of school. Meanwhile, the people who actually get to witness those, often wish they didn’t live in freezing cold temperatures. 

Finding activities that are equally as enjoyable and give people the cozy and nostalgic feeling is important, especially in an area like Florida where the temperatures don’t drop as much. Some examples include going ice skating indoors or baking delicious treats. Julissa Castro, an IB sophomore, mentions that she likes to “go shopping, watch movies, and bake treats.” She also predicts that it might snow “ in north Florida.”  Even without snow, many teens and families like to decorate their rooms and houses with strip lights, fuzzy blankets, and sip hot cocoa while watching their favorite childhood movies. Local areas like Sanford and Lake Mary also host annual light shows to get the citizens in the winter mood without the chilling temperatures. Many families usually travel to higher altitudes in the winter to still get a touch of snow and feel the freezing temperatures that Florida doesn’t have.

As the temperatures drop however, the layers of clothing increase. IB Sophomore, Anna Elizabeth Shiju, says how it’s “easier to dress as it’s not that cold, but every once in a while [she] opens her winter closet.” Her favorite trends during the winter include “leg warmers, pleated skirts, and long knitted scarves.” As well as some trending colors like “pink or baby blue, white, beige, and coffee brown” are her favorites to use during the fall time. The mild temperatures allow teens to dress stylish without bulky clothes because of the cold temperatures. 

Since Florida probably won’t turn into the winter wonderland of many people’s dreams, at least the beach is still a short drive away. So while snow might stay a distant dream around here, it is not necessary to have snow to make the winter time a magical and cozy experience, and it is the memories that count.