A West Michigander Who Hates Winter? This is a photo of some of our Christmas luminaries in our front yard (beautifully installed by Chips Groundcover.) Our Christmas lights help me stay cheerful in the cold winter. This may seem like an odd first post in my newly created blog about how I love West Michigan – but I have to confess something: I am not a huge fan of winter! There I said it. I do like the season’s first snow fall; I do prefer a white Christmas to a green one. I love the holidays, and the cozy warmth of our downtowns in West Michigan. But once the holidays are over – I tend to loathe the weather in January and February. Its something to just get through. That is when I really cling to all things bright and cheery – like snow melt, and brightly lit stores, restaurants and coffee shops in the downtowns of Holland, Zeeland, and Saugatuck. I relish spending time with friends over a glass of wine at Butch’s, a beer at New Holland Brewing, and a steamed white-chocolate milk at JP’s. Are you a fan of winter? If not, what do you do to survive the season?