Can't wait for death month
A reasonably common response I get from Finns and non-Finns-who’ve-lived-through-a-winter alike, is (in a deep foreboding voice) ‘make the most of the sun before November comes’. (It’s even more popular than the Game of Thrones' ‘winter is coming’ reference). I especially hear this warning when I make off-hand complaints about the sun, such as how annoyed I am about the sun always being in my eyes.
So, what’s the deal with November? There are a few deals:
All the months have meaningful names. October is lokakuu: mud month. July is heinäkuu: hay month. November, marraskuu, is named from an archaic word for death. Because in November everything is dead … or at least, looks that way. This does not promote a cheerful outlook.
It’s cold, with an average minimum of -2 and an average maximum of 2.
There is no snow.
Because there is no snow, it is dark, and getting darker. Snow is not just important for such delights as skiing, snowmen and snowfights, snow is also important for reflecting light, and brightening the darkening days and nights.
Although it is warmer and lighter and often just as snowless as December, December has Christmas cheer.
But despite all the foreboding warnings, I am still complaining about the sun in my eyes. And now that I have the good basis for a winter wardrobe (thanks to a 70% off sale on a local brand), I am actually a little bit excited about rugging up for the approach of death month and the winter that follows.
In the meantime, Nick and I try to make the most of Autumn.
