How to Enjoy the Four Seasons of the Year
By: Carlson Sandra
Tags: Spring, Seasons, Summer, Winter, Fall

How to Enjoy the Four Seasons of the Year

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Do you feel that the four seasons of the year get overshadowed by winter? When my oldest daughter was about eight-years-old, she became obsessed with Christmas. Those holidays were always fun, but when a child is talking about what they want for Christmas in the middle of summer, it’s apparent a need to emphasize other seasons was warranted. That Mother Nature has provided us with diversity means we should stop and not only smell the holiday roses, but look at what else we can enjoy, season by season.

As we work through our days, it may seem impossible to stop and enjoy each of the four-season tidbits, let alone recognize what aspects are the “tids” and which ones are the “bits.” Reflecting on what makes each time of year unique is the place to begin, including their exclusive activities. Depending on where one lives, one season may have more dramatic or subtle weather changes but always hold the potential for meaningfulness.

Spring Spring

Fun Fact: The name spring started in the 14th century when new plants started “springing” up from the ground. The fourteenth centurions referred to this as the “springing time.” The 15th century shortened the phrase to “springtime.” When the 16th century arrived, they reduced the verbiage to just spring.

Spring brings many a sense of renewal as trees and plants show new green growth and awaken after a long winter’s nap. Nature’s colors surface more prolifically, and even the air smells differently. Declining grey days and increasing sunshine make it natural to want to be outside soaking nature in. During spring there is also a time change when we “spring” forward and lose an hour on one day, but this leads to longer days to accomplish more. Yes, spring brings a total change in the atmosphere and scores fresh outlooks.

Spring Activities Comprise:

1. Have a picnic in the park or even in the backyard.

2. Plant something, anything.

3. Enjoy an outdoor activity without the need for a coat and long underwear.

4. Go to an outdoor sports game such as baseball or soccer.

5. Go to a flea/craft/farmer’s market.

6. Cook up a favorite spring dish such as honey glazed ham.

7. Learn what other cultures have on holiday celebrations for spring. Holi is the celebration of colors in India. Nowruz is the first day of spring in Iran. Even Songkran, the New Year of Thailand. Each has its own celebratory activities and decorations.

8. Wash the car and porch/patio equipment as a reminder of reawakening.

9. Fly a kite.

10. Enjoy the sunset from a favorite outdoor location.

11. Enjoy spring showers by walking in the rain and jumping in puddles.

12. Spring clean inside, allowing the discovery of clothes and objects not seen in a while because of being packed up for winter.

13. Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day.

14. Enjoy Easter.

15. Got a pet? Take notice of their behavior with spring’s outdoor differences.

Spring has much to offer, so get out there in the blossoming outdoors, soak up the sunshine, and shake off any residual winter cabin fever.

Photo by Mitchel Luo, Unsplash.com

Summer Season

Fun Fact: The name summer comes from the Proto-Germanic name sumur, further derived from the proto-Indo-European word sem meaning “half-year.”

Summer reflects as an easier, carefree time basking in the sunshine. With warmer weather, there’s a preference to take part in “chill out” activities. Seek options to spend more time outdoors that includes enjoying the fruits and vegetables coming to bloom, which in turn emphasizes that carefree feeling. Summer fun is definitely different from the other seasons, giving the longest days of the year more time to enjoy.

Let’s look at Summer’s Bucket List:

1. Spend a day at a water park.

2. Water skis, swim or have a water balloon fight.

3. Sleep outdoors.

4. Go hiking.

5. Attend an outdoor music festival and/or concert in the park.

6. Go to the movies to cool off with indoor air-conditioning or visit a drive-in theatre.

7. Run through sprinklers with your shorts and T-shirt on.

8. Build sandcastles at the beach.

9. Cook S’mores on an open campfire.

10. With longer days, take a class at the local parks and recreation center.

11. Nap in the afternoon outside.

12. Have a block party.

13. Catch fireflies.

14. Eat lots of ice cream and snow cones.

15. Enjoy the 4th of July.

Summer traditionally is a very playful season. Many take vacations as the weather in other locations offers distinctive activities and experiences. Wearing lighter clothing also offers a sense of removed restrictions from the regular routines of life. Summer gives us more vitamin D with more time to soak it all in.

Pexel.com

Fall Season

Fun Fact: The name fall started with the English referring to the falling of leaves somewhere between the 12th and 16th centuries. The word autumn comes from the 14th century Old French word autompne, meaning to increase. By the 16th century, autompne progressed to autumn. Also, in the 16th century, the word Harvest represented when farmed fields reached their peak of production and were ready for food gathering, thus the act of harvesting.

Fall brings a certain crisp chill, often felt to be refreshing after about three months of elevated temperatures. Days are often still warmer, but nights cooler until the progression of cool days blending into cool nights. Nature changes color again, working towards more gold, reds, fading greens, and orange tones. No other time of the year brings such diverse jewel tones. Days shorten, reminding us it’s time to think about slowing down and pursuing cold weather activities, finding fun things to do with the more available night times.

Fall’s unique activities:

1. Jump into a pile of leaves.

2. Bed down the garden, observing the change in how the dirt smells.

3. Enjoy warm cider, teas, and the smell of cinnamon.

4. Take a sunset walk, reflecting on how the colors of the sunset match the colors of falling leaves.

5. Wear a favorite sweater that’s been packed away for summer.

6. Spread pumpkins everywhere. Learn about all things pumpkin: food, crafts, etc.

7. Enjoy Halloween and Thanksgiving.

8. Enjoy a bonfire with friends and family.

9. Go to a local homecoming football game.

10. Light candles scented with the season’s best scents such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

11. Enjoy a movie night curled up with a favorite blanket and popcorn.

12. Take a fall hike to soak in more surroundings of changing foliage and falling leaves.

13. Eat lots of candy corn.

Gloomier days may appear, but no other season has two major events such as Halloween and Thanksgiving. Both contain beautiful atmospheric tones and both have very distinctive smells associated with them. Water sources may freeze as a gentle reminder of what’s ahead. Animals behave differently, gathering food for hibernation, reminding us to consider the same. Without Fall, we may continue to burn the candle at both ends. Fall emphasizes to slow down. Gaze at the stars as nature appears softer while longer nights provide ways to incorporate some self-care time.

Winter Season

Fun Fact: The word winter surfaced around 1300 from the Proto-Germanic word wintruz, meaning “wet season.” Later, via other cultures such as Dutch, Old Saxon, and Old High German, the word progressed into winter.

For many, winter feels dreary and foreboding. With major holidays taking place, this may also be a time of added stress. Winter, however, offers many special points as much as any other season.

Winter’s to-do list:

1. Enjoy winter sports such as ice skating, skiing, and sledding.

2. Have a snowball fight.

3. Build a snowman from snow or even tumbleweeds.

4. Drink lots of hot chocolate or hot buttered rum.

5. Enjoy the colors of the holidays: red, green, and gold, white, blue.

6. Roast marsh mellows in the fireplace or outside over a fire pit.

7. Puddle jump in the rain.

8. Take a moonlit walk and notice how navy blue the sky gets against the sparkle of stars.

9. Catch up on connections with friends and family via Skype, email, or simple letter writing.

10. Enjoy winter produce such cabbage, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranates.

11. See a winter show such as The Nutcracker ballet or an ice skating show at a local rink.

12. Bake cookies and pies.

13. Breathe in the chilly air and recognize unique fragrances such as pine, redwoods, or other trees.

14. Drive around to look at the decorations of others, even at Thanksgiving.

15. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.

Winter provides a time for reflection. Enjoy acting childish again and prepare for fresh starts as the New Year approaches. Work on self-care and taking winter cues to develop special acts of hibernation. Allow winter to become a unique friend and to become a favorite season.

Keegan Houser, Unspash.com

The Four Seasons as a Whole

Fun Fact: The Old French word seison was a verb meaning to sow or plant. Around the 13th century, it morphed into the adjective season, meaning seed time, and became a generalized phrase to discuss which seeding time one had to focus.

There truly are so many ways to enjoy each season. Literally, over 100 ideas were available for each thank you Pinterest.com. Those listed only scratch the surface. It is important to stop and ask what the season(s) mean to you. What activities come to mind for each one? Include foods, smells, sights, and sounds. Literally, Mother Nature is talking if we just stop and listen.

Don’t forget the power of decorating for each season. Spring provides flowers to bring indoors. Summer brings all the colors of a rainbow. Fall offers a variety of golden hues and winter with playful whites and silvers. Try decorating for each season and see what creativity results.

As an idea, try having a season’s tree. A separate tree, NOT resembling a Christmas tree, decorated for each season’s theme such as Valentines, St. Patrick’s, summer, Halloween, even Thanksgiving. Then stored for the major holidays when the traditional Christmas tree goes up. Standard winter decorations at local stores often have a variety of tree designs, even humorous ones. Pick one that doesn’t look like a typical tree to you.

Even when days are busy, surrounding oneself with seasonal reminders will ignite enjoying the current time frame. There are no rules here, no wrong or right. Just do it! Enjoy all that the seasons bring us. Enjoy living life season by season.

Resources

MentalFloss.com, Why Do We Call the Seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter?

wikiHow.com, How to Enjoy Spring

PsychologyToday.com, 45 Ways to Really Enjoy Summer

Wikipedian.org, Autumn

BeliefNet.com, Five Reasons to Fall in Love with Autumn

Word Lore, Harvard.edu, Winter

wikiHow.com, How to Enjoy Winter