Winter is the best season. Don't believe me? Let me explain.

For the majority of people, it seems, summer is the highlight of the year. It’s not hard to see why, in theory at least — warm weather is synonymous with holidays, the beach, ice cream, a sense of freedom and adventure.

Those are all great things, but I’m here to tell you it’s time we gave winter a bit of love, too. Sure, waking up can be torturous when the temperature gauge is hovering around (if not below) zero, but there are plenty of upsides of cooler weather.

Here are just some reasons winter is really quite wonderful. No, seriously.

Winter coats cover all manner of laziness.

Am I wearing a pyjama top to do my groceries? Am I even wearing a bra under all these layers? You’ll never know my secrets.

No more exposed toes.

Sandals are delightful... except for the fact they leave absolutely nowhere to hide your chipped nail polish/jagged toenails/rogue toe hairs.

Winter boots, on the other hand, would never be so cruel as to expose your ratty feet to the judgemental eyes of the world.

Less pressure to be outside ‘enjoying the weather’.

Staying indoors is considered a social sin in the warmer months. Why would you choose that over being at the beach, or at the park, or in a beer garden, you monster! But on a freezing, blustery day, going out into the elements for long stretches of time seems ludicrous. Therefore, you have the perfect excuse to devour a Netflix series in one sitting without leaving your bed.

There is a downside of this indoorsyness, of course - the flu tends to spread more easily because we’re crowded together with other people more often. This is why it’s very wise to vaccinate yourself against it - not only to prevent you from getting sick, but to quell the spread of the virus around you. You can have the flu shot at participating TerryWhite Chemmart, Terry White Chemists, Chemmart or Chemplus pharmacies for $14.95, so make sure you get on it fast. You'll love winter once you get it done, promise.

Less skin exposed for sunburn.

"You can’t get sunburnt in winter” is a complete myth. However, considering the majority of your body’s wrapped up in layers during the colder months, there’s less surface area exposed to the sun’s rays, which makes it easier to protect your skin.

Applying SPF to your face is far simpler than trying to contort your arms so you can reach the middle of your back.

You actually feel like eating.

On those sticky summer days, the thought of eating anything but Zooper Doopers and watermelon is fairly unbearable. Which is fine every now and then, but it’s really no way to live for three months of the year.

...and cooking.

Particularly if you don’t have air conditioning at home, being in the immediate proximity of an oven or stovetop in mid-January brings absolutely no joy. But pulling a cake out of the oven or whipping up a curry on a chilly day is immensely satisfying. It’s the perfect time to unearth those fancy cookbooks you got for Christmas and invite your friends around to enjoy the results.

Bath weather.

Baths tend to divide opinion - but for those of us who love sliding into a warm tub of water and bubbles with a book, a candle and wine within arm’s reach, winter is our prime.

The accessories.

Chunky scarves and beanies and gloves, oh my! As well as keeping your extremities warm, winter accessories are the perfect cover-all for not-so-good hair days… until you have to take them off, at least.

Goodbye, sweaty bare thighs on vinyl bus seats.

After months of commuting to work while sitting in a tiny puddle of sweat kindly donated by a previous seat occupant, jeans and stockings offer welcome respite.

Just less sweat in general.

Thank goodness.

Oranges are in season.

Mangoes and other summer fruits are glorious, but the delight of eating a naval orange on a winter’s morning is not to be sniffed at.

What do you love about winter?