With this weekend marking the first day of winter and the winter solstice, Americans are officially entering the coldest season of the year. Yet despite the holidays, snow, and cozy traditions, winter remains the least popular season overall. According to CivicScience data, just 11% of U.S. adults say winter is their favorite season, making it less popular than any other season by more than two-to-one.

Winter enthusiasts skew young. Gen Z adults aged 18-29 are the most likely to say winter is their favorite, with favorability dropping sharply as age increases. Men are slightly more likely than women to favor winter, as are adults earning under $50K annually. Geography also plays a role: city dwellers are the most likely to favor winter, and those living in the Western U.S. are roughly twice as likely to name winter as their favorite season compared to those who live in other regions.

But demographics aren’t the only thing that sets winter fans apart. CivicScience data reveal distinct habits and preferences among those who say winter is their favorite season:

• Plant-Based Meat: Winter fans are far more open to alternative food choices. More than half (54%) say they’ve tried plant-based meat, outpacing fans of other seasons by over 20 percentage points. Another 18% say they intend to try it in the future.

• Buy Now, Pay Later: They’re also over twice as likely to say they’ve used Buy Now, Pay Later payment services compared to those who prefer any other season.

• Wearing Shorts in Winter: Despite reporting a love for snow, winter fans are surprisingly more likely to wear shorts during the winter months: 50% say they do, compared to 41% of those who prefer other seasons.

• Weather Small Talk: Those who favor winter are seven percentage points more likely to say they frequently find themselves making small talk about the weather (57% vs. 50%).

• Winter Intensity: When asked whether they prefer mild or intense winters, winter fans are 1.5 times more likely to say they prefer a more intense winter experience than a mild one.

For a small share of Americans, winter isn’t something to endure; it’s something to embrace. And while they may be outnumbered, their preferences around food, spending, and even cold-weather habits reveal a group that leans into the season rather than waiting for it to pass.