November...the worst month of the year?

[pluto]

Just three days left of what has to be the worst month if you live in the UK. If anyone has any strategies which help you get through the dark evenings and interminable rain I'd love to hear them. There's February to look forward to soon!

[aloha]

I actually quite like November. I keep getting littl whiffs of christmassiness, iykwim. The fire and candles look lovely and the mils Christmas cake is in the larder. Now, February - that's a rubbish month all right.

[GeorginaA]

I hate November. It's been a bad month for me for a while now.

My dad died during a November. My mum had a serious car accident the year after also in November. It's dark early, it's horribly rainy, it's miserable. I fight the winter blues every year around this time. December is fine - got Christmas to work towards. January is New Year, new beginnings. February is my birthday. March starts getting brighter and back to the world of the living. I just have problems with Novembers.

[janh]

It's only 3.5 weeks to the shortest day and then the nights start drawing out again?

Also - DS2's primary school choir sang carols at the blessing of the Crib in town this afternoon - a bit early perhaps but very sweet - and I was most impressed by the attendance of loads of tinies from a couple of nurseries, they all behaved impeccably, even the babies. Not a November thing specifically but the good thing about November is that you are not yet fed up with hearing all the Christmas music!

[WideWebWitch]

I don't mind November, I like the mists and the drizzle really. My strategy is mainly to keep the heating on and stay inside, wrapped up in a duvet on the sofa with a 'proper' tea with crumpets, jam and everything and watch films with ds. We've watched Star Wars Episode II, Monsters Inc and Ice Age in the past 2 weeks. We've also played table top football, mousetrap (goes on for ever though), snakes and ladders and mousie mousie. And we've make cakes and homemade pizza and listen to me! No wonder I'm fat!! We used to do loads of country walks, even in this weather, but ds point blank refuses atm and I can't be arsed either.

[SueDonim]

I got married in November so it's an okay month for me. It was my pearl wedding anniversary this time.

[Hilary]

November contains ds1's birthday and is drawing on towards mine and ds2's birthdays and Christmas so it's ok from where I'm sitting. February has always been my worst month, Christmas is long gone, it's freezing, Spring is still ages away and it's just dreary. My dislike of February was confirmed when my Dad died in February, now I just simply dread it, it has no good points anymore whatsoever.

[Marina]

WWW, aren't you a country girl? November in London means "poor rail conditions", mass exodus of Connex train drivers on sick leave, no proper daylight for days on end in the City (or so it seems down at street level). It sounds a lot more fun down your way. Can we all please come and stay?
The very end of November is redeemed by Advent. Candles, hopeful, beautiful carols and music, and a real sense of anticipation. It's always been my favourite time of the Christian year.

[robinw]

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[IDismyname]

robinW
I hate january too, for all the same reasons! Have decided that any NY resolutions need to be gentle ones, and not ones that need motivation or willpower.

[tigermoth]

Anyone else find past events in your life leave a mark on your year?
Without conscious thought, I find myself having panic dreams about exam revision in May, feeling very low far a week in November, the week we were told my mother's diagnosis, and feeling unsettled in early October, a time of year when I've had many job changes or relationship breakups.

[Enid]

I'm a November fan - Christmas cards to buy, little Christmas trees appear above the shops in our nearest town, it finally gets properly cold and we can have a real fire, all those casseroles to make and eat, dd2 wears her little woolly hat and scarf, lots of lovely oak leaves everywhere.

February is rubbish, wet, depressing, rich with the realisation that I am still fat after Christmas, that we still havent booked our summer holiday and now we'll never find anywhere affordable, still loads of b**y oak leaves everywhere.

[Bozza]

I think you may be right Tigermoth.

I have to say that my February's have been redeemed by DS's birthday on the 20th. I'm less keen on January - there seems to be nothing going on, no social plans and given the usual Christmas expenditure plus the initial blitz at the sales I don't feel like I can go spending money on socialising etc, probably seen enough of family by then, start of the holiday year so don't like to take time off work etc.

[Bozza]

In fact January reminds me of Monday. I have less of the Monday feeling though now that I don't work on a Monday. Its more of a gentle introduction into the week.

[Tillysmummy]

I love all the lead up to Christmas. Just hate January and February and early March. So depressing.

[lou33]

My son is 4 today and my birthday is in January, dd2 is a december baby and ds2 is a february one!

[Clarinet60]

Well, I hate november and january and february!
Only joking. It is gloomy though, and I hate the early dark. I think www and the movies & cakes is the best solution

[Tinker]

I love November, love winter. Heart sinks a little when, as soon as it's December 22nd, someone says 'The days are getting longer now'

Being a fair skinned Celt, absolute WORST time of year is April/May when we have a hot spell and everyone feels compelled to shed clothes despite having NO tan at all!

[ticklebyday]

I like November, I have both good and bad anniversary's to celebrate, the good - a few family birthdays including mine and ds and bad -the anniversary of mums death.

I just love bonfire night and it holds many special childhood memories for me - great firework party's and mums smashing jacket potatoes with lashings of butter on a cold and frosty Nov evening, watching all the beautiful fireworks light up the sky. Ahhhhhh, happy memories.

[Dannie]

My birthday is in late November, so when the shops fill up with Christmas stuff in September, I announce that no one is allowed to mention Christmas until after Mummy's birthday. This almost keeps Christmas contained to within Advent. I do hate taking ds to school at dawn and collecting him at dusk, though.

[susanmt]

February used to be my worst month but then both my children were born in February, so it has been a lot better since then. I find November hard, as I get more depressed during the winter and November is so dreary here. I cope by lighting the fire and lots of candles a lot in the evenings, watching old films I love, reading lots of books and eating chocolate - no point in being healthy, you have to survive! The diet can start in January.
I also try to got out in the fresh air for about half an hour every day, even if it is raining, as dd loves jumping in the puddles and I know the light/air does me good. And we do some getting ready for Christmas stuff, to cheer us all up.

[Eulalia]

My worst month too. Was thinking of starting a SAD thread as I tend to suffer. Hate the dark nights - it is worst here in North Scotland. It gets dark at 3pm round about the shortest day - that is just not normal! Generally it is too warm for snow so we just get lots of drizzle and wind. And there is nothing to celebrate. I am not a winter person. In fact I made sure that both my children weren't born in winter - I don't think I could have coped. (ds is July, dd April)

What's your favourite month - mine is May because of the long days.

[helenmh]

I too suffer with sad and find winter hard. I have a light box and take st johns wort. helen

[Bears]

I agree with Tillysmummy, even if dh birthday is Feb (sorry dear!). I swear the months Jan & Feb are twice as long as the rest. Fave month is June - The height of summer plus it's mine & ds birthday!