Who else despises autumn and winter?

[DrCoconut]

It's getting dark earlier and earlier, I've got the heating on due to being cold and everyone is already down with the lurgey. Hate it. The constant juggling of sick kids and work. Dragging everyone out for school when we all just want a pj day. Poor light levels and depression. DS2's autism will soon be massively exacerbated by being unable to get out and burn his energy off (he's also asthmatic and cold/wet triggers it). After the washout summer it's going to be a very long haul to spring. I think a decent spell of good weather would make it bearable but I can literally count on my fingers the number of hot days this year, out of 365 days it's a bit of a let down really. And the rain! Almost constant, varying only from drizzle to torrential, though admittedly that's let up a bit now. So looking forward to the back end of winter already.

It's quite extraordinary how some posters imagine that everyone in the UK has exactly the same weather that they do!

This! There are huge differences between east and west, for example, never mind north and south. And people are affected differently. Damp is horrendous for rheumatism and arthritis, for example.

I can get through November with the promise of Christmas, but once we're into January I'm off to the sun.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 I'm Irish, from the east coast, and couldn't cope with the weather at all. I've lived in southern England for 15 years now. I'm terribly homesick for my friends and family but despise the Irish weather too much to go back.

If it wasn't for the distance from everyone I love, I'd have emigrated to Australia too I think.

SudowoodoVoodoo Yes! Having to get yourself and a child wrapped up from head to toe, potentially in waterproof garments and footwear and wrestle small fingers into gloves etc etc is a fucking ballache. You can't "just pop" anywhere, it takes longer to get ready than it does to do the errand. It's easier to just stay in.

"I’m not sure how anyone can muster the energy to be so worked up about something that is inevitable and unchangeable personally. Isn’t it worth trying to find some positive in there rather than resigning yourself/your family to 6 months of misery because of The Weather?"

Seasonal Affective Disorder is A Thing. Look it up. You effectively just told a bunch of people with seasonally-triggered depression to lighten the fuck up.

It is different across the country, too. Winter in northern places with hills is harder if you suffer from lack of light, because there's generally less light (the sun rises later and sets earlier because it has to get over the gradient). Then you have orographic cloud and drizzle dulling things down as well. I live in the north now, but grew up in the south east, and found it a little bit easier there with the flatter countryside and better weather. I don't know how folks in Scotland with SAD actually cope, hats off to them, they are resilient motherfuckers up there.

I love the fact we have seasons, although not as defined now. Our last holiday in Spain had temperatures nearing 40c which was great for 2 weeks but not relentlessly. Yes rain is annoying, and it's more tricky to arrange outdoor stuff based on our climate.
My birthday is in January and I've always felt more affinity to winter because of it. ( all in my head probably) my husbands birthday is November and he's the complete opposite and definitely has SAD.
Think how many conversations are about the weather, how would we make small talk without it!

Evilharpy im originally from NI but moved to London after uni and the weather was definitely a huge improvement! Then I moved to Cork for ten years, and while the weather was slightly warmer than NI the bloody rain got to us in the end! We are much happier in Perth which has a hot dry Mediterranean climate,. Although of course we miss family and friends, I honestly wish we had skipped Cork and moved to Perth after London, we are so much happier and healthier here. It’s not for everyone though, but spring is coming, next week we are forecast 28 degrees and I’ve already had a couple of beach days although the water is still a bit nippy for swimming.To be honest, if it wasn’t for family, I don’t even think I’d be going back for holidays.

I completely agree about the difference in climate across the UK. I never realised that I lived in a warm, dry part of the country, ie south Leicestershire, until I started travelling up to Glasgow regularly for work....

It's not just the weather, which admittedly makes a huge difference but the light levels. You'll get 8 hours of daylight in the depths of winter in Cornwall, it's down to about 6.5 hours by Aberdeen.

@Sinkgirl thanks for that useful info on vit D, I've ordered the spray now. Hoping that will perk me up a bit.

I love it.
Nice walks, not so hot, no need for heating yet.
The beautiful colours of the change of season.
Starting to prep for the winter and Christmas, shopping and of course the hot chocolate is out.
Winter is lovely, with fairy lights and a lovely warm glow everywhere.

Love Autumn and love Winter up until after Christmas.

When January arrives I hate it. Freezing, grey and miserable. Then when April arrives I start to feel much happier again. 😊

I hate it. Its depressing and dark and boring.

I love being out and about in the sunshine. I've even booked a winter holiday this year just to break up the hideousnes of it all.

absolutely hate it. I actually think I might have SAD.

I am such an unhappy miserable bitch in winter. I am a cold person anyway but I am genuinely shivering most of the time in winter. My office in work is always freezing. Its depressing.

i hate snow. Hate it. Would be happy if i never saw it again.

I don't hate autumn, you can still have some nice days if you wrap up, but full blown winter is shite. Shite, shite, shite.

and lol at 19-24 degrees being "horribly warm" 19 is barely tepid!

im in the north east and we had proper winter coat weather from October to about bloody april!

Me, I cant stand it. Cold, damp and dark.

The only benefit I can see is that I don't have to mow the lawns for a few months.

Bring back summer 🌞

Hated it after the lunacy of the weather two years ago but now I'm back t o the relief that kids get enough sleep with the dark, the closing of curtains in the evening and putting a film on with hot chocolate and weekend walks through autumn leaves. Still worried about kids' sicknesses, eczema and my lovely rosacacea and hands that get so chapped they bleed no matter what I put on them!!

Me.
My mood is dropping, it's oppressive and I hate the cold in the air. Mentally I'm counting down until Easter already . I walk to work and run when it's not raining so my Vit D is probably fine. But I'm afraid I only function in sun and heat.
I do like a couple of snow days though.

I like autumn and we've actually had a really dry year where I live (near London - I appreciate that if you're in the northwest you've had very different weather).

As for winter - no not a fan at all. However, last winter I tried really hard not to have a negative attitude about it. I didn't moan about January (which I generally hate!), I just focused on things that I enjoy. We also did a cheap city break for new year and were lucky enough to have some sunshine, which I think made a big difference to my mood at the start of the year.

So my message is this: mental attitude is half the battle! Winter bugs are horrible, I agree, but keeping active through the winter, taking supplements and focusing on things to look forward to are key.

I like winter.... until Christmas. After that it's just grey, miserable and seemingly going to go on forever.

I always think of Xmas as an 'end of winter festival' when of course it is a MID winter festival! The worst is yet to come!

Agree getting outside is key. I’m running lots more and that helped last year.

One thing on vitamin D, you won’t get it from sunshine between October and end of March so even if you’re outside lots a supplement is advised for all adults and children now. I also use the spray and think this helped.

Add me to the list. It's not the cold which gets me as much, it's the dark. Between the clocks going back at the end of October and the shortest day on 21st December it;s just horrendous. A gradual slide into darkness and so depressing. One the 21st passes and we get through the nonsense of Christmas and New Year, things start to get better. 2nd January is my most favourite day of the year. Onwards and upwards into the lovely light evenings.

I find a few things help. I have a Beurer daylight lightbox thing which I sit in front of when it's dull and grey. I take high dose Vit D. I try to get out in the morning for a walk whenever possible. I plot creative torture methods for people who witter on about cosy, hygge, hot choc and snuggling.

The sun's out Inthe midlands today but there's still a nip in the air.
I get arthrosis in my wrists,thumbs and ankles and have been busy with the ibuprofen gel.It to s deffinatly cold at night.
I need a few more days of sun to ripen the tomatoes.

I don't know how folks in Scotland with SAD actually cope, hats off to them, they are resilient motherfuckers up there.

That would me me. Quite like the title of resilient motherfucker.

You just have to make the most of the light when it's around. My house is south facing and I have been known to stand in the front garden with my face turned up towards the sun/light if I can't get out for a walk. I also try to do things like yoga and mindfulness, which helps. And the Vit D and light lamps. Plus there's the bonus of lovely long, light-filled nights in summer. we're only in Glasgow but in June the sky never gets dark at night and if you look to the north you can see the light at midnight. It's amazing. I try to store up a bit of that feeling for November when it's grey and shitey weather.

Having said all that it doesn't take much to tip me over the edge. Things which I'd just shrug off in May or June affect me much more come the darkness. Last year the week before Christmas |I| was sobbing my heart out to the GP as I just couldn't cope any more. So this year I'm starting now to try to ward off those feelings.

Otra - I really do admire you for sticking it out. I know that I am at the limit of my 'northern' range in Yorkshire, and that is with aforementioned vitamin D, lamps etc etc etc! Agree with you about long nights being an amazing bonus.

(long summer nights that is!! NOT long winter nights!)

Yeah, I also think people need to declare their latitude before they pull the Pollyanna routine.

The real hard as nails people are those in Orkney/Shetland. In Lerwick in December sunrise isn't until about 9.15am, and it sets again about 2.45pm.

In Glasgow, the sun comes up 30 minutes earlier, and sets 30 minutes later, even in mid December.

On the other hand, if you live in Penzance you have nothing to complain about as in mid-December the sun's up at 8.15am and setting at setting at 4.15pm.