It was a long and hot summer, and I welcomed the cooler weather as soon as the leaves started to turn. My closet full of coats and jackets had sat sadly neglected for many months; the new boots I bought in April on a clearance rack are only now about to get their moment. I'm excited for the Christmas lights in London and New York, the festive trees, chestnuts roasting on street corners—and yes, my Christmas wish list (featuring a dangerous number of watches and pieces of jewelry) is ready too. There is something about the winter that still feels exotic and enthralling to me. I saw snow a few times in Kashmir as a kid, but the first real blizzard I encountered was when I was a freshman in college in Pennsylvania. It was late at night, but my roommate dragged me out of bed to make snow angels. I still remember lying on my back, waving my arms around—the sensation of cold all along my body was surreal, as was the way in which white feathery bits floated down from the sky. I recall thinking, What a strange but wonderful feeling! I discovered two things quickly: One, I was a terrible skier. And, two, I loved après-ski—to be nursing hot chocolate by crackling fireplaces and snuggled in blankets.

Our story on Banff perfectly encapsulates the promise of winter: the adventure, the exhilaration, the romance of a landscape transformed overnight. But equally seductive is the prospect of winter sun. Come January I'll happily trade snow boots for sandals and fly to Tenerife, Spain, or Boracay, in the Philippines, or Brisbane, Australia. That dose of vitamin D is essential by then, when the Christmas lights have come down and everything seems gray and empty. At that point I need a beach—and something colorful and sparkly to wear on it. So often I close my eyes and return to the end-of-year trips I've made to Maldives, Indonesia, Mexico, and remembered the sunrises, the sound of the waves, the palm trees swaying in the breeze, the fiery red chiles, and fresh coconut water. It's been a strange year. But as we navigate the final months ahead, this issue is filled with reasons to feel excited about what comes next. I hope it gives you plenty to dream about—and somewhere to go.

This article appeared in the December 2026 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.