I agree with Silverbear. There's something sort of magical about watching a fire.
I don't mean in the pyromaniac sense, just watching flames in general. It has a soothing effect.
Char and I bought a gas patio heater early last fall. Yeah, the fire is from propane but the burner is buried in stuff like you use in a gas fireplace and there's lava rock and fake logs. Even still, we enjoyed it until it got too cold to sit on the patio. Maybe come spring, which I hope won't be far off, we'll enjoy it again.
Tom