Summer is coming...

It's June now and that means one thing, Summer is almost here! And as dark and cold-hearted as we are here in the Coven, we can't deny we love a bit (or a lot) of sunshine. So what makes Summer so great? Well allow me to tell you (as if you don't know already).

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Do you not just long for the days when you can leave your home in just a top, and maybe a summer jacket (and something on your bottom half, obviously), without worrying whether or not you'll be warm enough or if you'll get rained on? Some of you might say you love your winter wardrobes, and you love layering different pieces to create your own unique style, and we hear you. BUT...Layering is great n'all, but what's not great is piling on the layers so you're nice and toasty outside, and then being absolutely sweltered when you get indoors. Also, some days, no matter how many layers you put on, you just can't warm up. You sit there in work or in college shivering away, wrapped in your giant scarf, longing for the warmth of summer.

Now we might well be self-confessed creatures of darkness, but we can't deny we enjoy the long daylight hours. Commuting to and from work in the dark is depressing. You struggle to wake up on a morning due to the lack of daylight, and then it's dark when you go home as well. You basically miss the day, you live in darkness, and while that might sound appealing to some, we need our Vitamin D folks! The long days also give you a lot more time for outdoor socialising, garden parties for instance. Sure, you can get relatively cheap garden lights these days, but if you're lucky enough to live somewhere that isn't surrounded by streetlamps and other light sources, it can still get pretty dark. And there's only so long you can sit outside relying on solar powered spotlights before your eyes start feeling funny.

Who doesn't love a barbecue?! A get-together where the sole aim is to just sit in the sun and eat. Brilliant! Crack open a can and stick some vegan sausages and thick cut veggies on the grill! Get in!

Obviously we can't speak for the rest of the world, but in the UK if your first thought isn't "beer garden" at the first sign of sunshine, are you even British? There's just something about beer gardens that we love over here. Sitting comfortably outside, drink in hand, among a crowd of smiley happy people, is just so satisfying, and a great excuse to have some exotic looking summer cocktails, or Pimms if you're partial! It's also especially great if there are smokers in your group. Okay, maybe it's not everyone's preference to sit around people who are smoking, but it's nice not to have half your tribe huddled inside a busy pub and half outside in the freezing cold, only seeing each other intermittently. Plus you're outdoors, so if you're lucky a warm, gentle breeze will clear the air for you.

True that there are some festivals in the Winter months, but they're not the same, and not as many. Summer is festival season, and there really is a festival for everything. The big one is music festivals, both big and small, and we don't think anything beats camping in a field for a weekend with good music and good company. But there's also local food festivals, international food festivals, beer festivals, wine festivals, gin festivals, cultural festivals (such as the African Caribbean Carnival we have here!), and basically any excuse you can think of to drink, eat and party. And many of these festivals don't break the bank either, in fact many small local festivals are free entry!

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So there you have it: our list of reasons why Summer is boss. Between beer gardens, barbecues and the wide array of festivals on offer, there's always something to do in summer. And if non of those options take your fancy, have a picnic, go on a walk or even do some gardening! Weather permitting of course. And if the weather sucks? Stick on a rain poncho and go have fun!

Got any other reasons why Summer is so great? Let us know in the comments!

Much love from the R+W team! 🖤