I love Daylight Saving Time. For me, it signals the beginning of the end, of a long, dark winter, and the start of a new, and gentler season of promise, which is how I view spring.
Oh, I know it can still snow, but I also know that the snow won’t last, and soon the grass will turn green, and flowers will begin reaching for clear blue skies.
Some supporters of Daylight Saving Time will point to energy savings, as the primary benefit of setting clocks ahead. Others cite a reduction in traffic accidents and crime.
Then, there’s my reason. The wonderfully endless, northern summer evenings.
In southern New Brunswick, where I live, there is as much as a five-hour difference in evening daylight, between summer and winter. In other words, in December, it gets dark before 5 pm and in June, it can be 10 pm or later.
It will be sooo… nice, to once again, go for leisurely evening strolls and not, the short, mad dashes that typically accompany outdoor winter activities. Head buried so deep in your scarf and upturned coat collar, you resemble a turtle wearing a stocking hat.
{Image from Government of Canada website}
Although the idea of some form of Daylight Saving Time has been around since the Romans, it wasn’t until 1908, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, that it was first used. Many other jurisdictions in Canada followed shortly thereafter.
In 1916 Germany was the first country as a whole, to adopt Daylight Saving Time. They wanted to minimize the use of electric lighting to save fuel for their war effort.
The United Kingdom and France were soon to follow.
The United States didn’t use Daylight Savings Time until 1918, and although the experiment for the nation was short-lived, only seven months, some cities did continue to use it until 1942 when Franklin Roosevelt brought in year-round daylight savings time for the duration of World War II.
Today, more than 70 countries use Daylight Saving Time. Countries that are closer to the equator see little difference in the number of daylight hours between Summer and Winter, so it is less beneficial for them to adjust their time.
There is some evidence that the popularity of Daylight Saving Time is on the decline, but, I for one, hope it remains with us, well, for at least as long as I do.
This year, Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 13th, at 2:00 am.
The countdown is on.
Don’t forget to “spring forward”.
For me, the clocks ‘Springing forward”, is a sign, too, that Spring is not far behind. And when the mornings are brighter, I love to get up and head out into my yard and clean up the leftover leaves and dead flowers from last Autumn, to make way for the new shoots, soon to come. It’s a time to look forward to spending more time in the evening with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, listening to the arrival of the Spring birds.
Catherine White recently posted…Wordless Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 {with LINKY}
It sure is a sign that Spring is not too far away. A little side note Kathy…about 10 minutes ago I heard a robin calling. Now that is a sure sign that Spring is on its way!
Monica Parlee recently posted…How to Make Irish Coffee
Totally agree with you ,Monica. Any form of time change that results in an extension of daylight hours is a pure bonus in my books! The thought of living just a tad closer to the equator MAY have a few benefits, but will take the salt air of the Maritime region AND day light saving time or ADT (Atlantic Daylight Time) and enjoy the “daylights” out of it!!
Lol…love that Pat – enjoy the “daylights” out of it! (Very witty!) I love the long evenings of sun and I am so looking forward to it still being light at 9:30 – 10:00 PM!
I live in the don’t move your clocks province…. winter time the sun is up at 9am, goes down at 5pm… so …yeah, no sun, no sense moving the clock…its nice now to see daylight at 7pm now… big thrill cus I know that means soon I’ll be up at 5am drinking coffee in the front yard and enjoying the weather and my flowers
Oh wow! Do you live pretty far north Sabrina? I must admit, being up at 5AM in daylight and drinking coffee sounds very productive…I could get so much done if only I could drag myself out of bed at that time!
no, we live south of Saskatoon, my daughter lives further up north and my inlaws had lived even further. I really look forward to the longer days when daylight hits at 4am and it stays light til after 10pm ….. makes you feel more productive I think
That would be so amazing to have those gorgeous long day. I would be able to get so much work done…lol
Monica Parlee recently posted…It’s Springtime at Hallmark {w/Giveaway}