AIBU to be excited it's nearly Autumn

[Butterfly3005]

Hello all, new to Mumsnet and not sure if this post is in the appropriate place? Sorry if not...

Anyway, was having a discussion with the ladies at work about how the tree leaves are already starting to change colour. The nights are slowly drawing back in and it feels cooler (although it seems to have warmed up again today).

This got me feeling excited as I absolutely love autumn and the '...ber' months!

Apart from one colleague who feels the same, the others think I'm strange for loving Autumn!

Anyone else? :D

Yes, we are lucky. Mind you, I love the hills too - our honeymoon was in the Lake District, in October. We wore a lot of goretex

If you're in the Pennines you must have some beautiful places nearby.

Yes, we are lucky with scenery. I just wish it wouldn't rain so much. We have a lot of reservoirs round here because of the rain.

But what's exciting about the weeks following Christmas? Second week in January

New Year's Eve Panto and takeaway, a break from work, two family birthdays and a couple of days out always takes us to the end of January.

The week in between Christmas and New Year just has a feeling I can't explain.

It's very much family based as on it's how I was raised and my Dad was responsible for it. We lost him and buried him the week before Christmas but this means that day is one I remember him on and I always go the pub with my book, large mulled wine and a large mulled cider and toast him.

I absolutely love Autumn too. Def fave time of year!

I was discussing the seasons with my DH and he came up with the mind blowing phenomenon that if the middle of summer is June 21st (British summer time) then it makes sense that summer is May, June and July - May is often hotter than August anyway. Weird tho as my birthday is early May and I've always been told I'm a Spring born. February has lots of snowdrops and crocuses starting to bud so would indicate start of Spring.
This has never occurred to me before and we only just discussed it as I mentioned about the Irish calendar says Autumn is Aug/Sept/Oct from this thread and thought it an interesting concept.

Bloody love autumn.

For a host of reasons I'm RARING to get past September and into the months where I can wear big coats, not be a sweaty mess and also enjoy a duvet at night.

Oh, and meet my baby too

Cmon October!

"The week in between Christmas and New Year just has a feeling I can't explain."

I hate that week. It is such a dead time. We never do anything. I can't wait to get back to normal, get the tree down, back to work, DD back to school.

"and into the months where I can wear big coats, not be a sweaty mess and also enjoy a duvet at night."

But if you get too hot in "summer" surely you don't need the big coat and duvet in winter because you prefer the cooler temperature anyway

I love Autumn, the colours are beautiful and you can still get sunshine days, although obviously not as warm as summer.
I always understood Autumn to be Sept Oct Nov, Winter Dec Jan Feb, Spring Mar Apr May and Summer June July August.

Don't see what xmas has to do with Autumn as it takes place in winter?

So far I've got people like it as they can run through spider infested leaves and wear lots of clothes because it's cold. They then go home and huddle up together in a desperate attempt to warm up. Have I missed anything, because you're not really selling it to me?

Autumn is my favourite too We usually go away to New England for a fortnight in October and it's total Autumn porn over there Beautiful fall foliage, smell of bonfires, actual real like pumpkin patches...

This year we're not going as I'm pregnant and our baby is due mid October. I bought him a wee pumpkin outfit from TK Maxx the other day. This is how much I love Autumn.

August is in the school summer holidays so doesn't that make it summer

Yes, I love Autumn. There's a sense of newness about it which I think goes back to when I was a schoolchild and September was the start of the academic year. I had new uniforms, new school books, stationery etc.

I love those crisp sunny Autumn days and all the leaves changing colour. There's something strangely satisfying about kicking my way through a big pile of Autumn leaves . Summer is often a let down in Ireland (a triumph of optimism over experience, I always say) but Autumn never fails to deliver.

And I love Hallowe'en. The excitement of taking on a different persona in our home made costumes and cheap plastic masks and stepping out into a dark night full of bonfire smoke and fireworks, to go knocking on doors for our Hallowe'en stash - it was all monkey nuts, grapes and the occasional mandarin back then. Young 'uns today don't know how good they have it with all the sweets they get. And I still remember the fun we had making Hallowe'en art and crafts in primary school - witches hats and bats etc.

I don't like the end of Autumn so much, when the trees are completely bare and the weather gets increasingly colder and the nights get increasingly darker.

I think the seasons have changed in Ireland. When we were at school we were taught that February was the start of Spring (even though it was still freezing). Which made August the start of Autumn. Now Met Eireann say that Spring starts on the 1st of March. www.met.ie/education/pdfs_eng/YP%20Fun%20Facts%20Seasons.pdf

By the way, I love your username Cailleach

That's a lovely tradition for your Dad Brittbugs and I get what you're saying because you have a lot on in January.

For others it's a bleak and boring month! I usually do DRY January as well which doesn't help!

So far I've got people like it as they can run through spider infested leaves and wear lots of clothes because it's cold. They then go home and huddle up together in a desperate attempt to warm up. Have I missed anything, because you're not really selling it to me?

The only good thing about Autumn is home made soup. I bloody love a good soup. And I can't have hot soup in the sun! Apart from that it's tedious because it rolls into dark and dank Winter!

Ifailed you've nailed it. Don't forget the joyous occasion of Halloween though.

Christmas is Winter so doesn't count.

Love all the optimism though!

I'm a grumpy cow who likes sun on my bones and I quite enjoy wearing skimpy clothes.

I can't see how anyone can put a spin on getting up in the dark? That is truly shit.

Oh and I forgot about Barmbrack with lashings of Kerrygold

Have really got the September excitement feeling. Lots to look forward to... love autumn too

August? Autumn? WTF?

The only good thing about autumn is that it means it's not winter yet.

We usually go away to New England for a fortnight in October and it's total Autumn porn over there grin Beautiful fall foliage, smell of bonfires, actual real like pumpkin patches

Which part of New England do you go to? It's on our holiday list so always looking for recommendations

@Brittbuggs80 we go to Cape Cod. In summertime it's packed but in autumn, it's so beautifully quiet. You barely meet another tourist but there are loads of Halloween activities on (town parades, ghost tours). And picking your own pumpkin at a patch is lovely. It's mild enough for long walks on the beautiful beaches and generally there's not much rain.

We fly to Boston then hire a car and drive to Cape Cod, rent a house from New England Vacation Rentals. I would so recommend it!

That sounds idyllic Agent

Well I hate summer but we haven't really had summer this year have we? This rain has ruined the summer holidays. I would like 1 more hit of sun tbh. I do love Autumn though

September excitement?

I've never had that whatever it is!

Brittbugs80 We went to New England one October as well, and it was stunning. We were lucky with the weather as we expected it to be cold, but experienced temperatures of about 21 degrees (this was the last week of October).

We visited in Massachusetts: Boston, Plimouth, Lennox, Old Sturbridge Village (a bit like Beamish), Hancock Shaker settlement, Salem (loads to see there) and Weston in Vermont.

We stayed in bed and breakfasts for most of the time (in New England bed and breakfast is the upmarket option - nothing like a Blackpool B & B )

By the way, I love your username Cailleach

Thanks Tayto.

The way I see it is we are a long time dead.

Having a mindset of 6 months of gloom is just not on my radar.
I don't live my life like that.
I understand that some people live in bad conditions worry about fuel etc, and I too have had my dark times.
I have been homeless, I was widowed three days before christmas so I do understand that life can be harsh.

But as long as I breathe, have a roof over my head and family who love me then I will embrace all that life has to give me, I will squeeze every drop of joy out of those dark days and look for the crackle of life.

Whether it's watching geese migrate or throwing food to wild birds and watching them eat, seeing my breath on a cold day or the colours reflected in a puddle- then I can count the myriad of ways that I love the dark months.

Taytocrisps your Halloween sounds much like mine!

I bought a full sized besom today, I am excited about customising it in the run up to Halloween.