As the sun sets on this year’s summer in London, we find ourselves in the midst of the dark, cold autumn and winter months. For many, this is a sorrowful goodbye to the pleasures that the heat offered us. Picnics in the park become scarce as the ground always seems to be damp from the never-ending rain. The day seems to end only a few hours after you’ve woken up; where did the light that lasted until 10pm go? An afternoon sunset deprives us of brightness and leaves a gloomy, eerie atmosphere behind. It’s 4:25 pm as I sit and write this article. To my left, the sun seems to be calling it a day, retiring behind the trees and buildings and leaving me sipping my tea in a darkened room.
But if there’s one thing that the new reality of a Covid-19 world has taught us, it is the ability to make the most of every situation, no matter how dismal. Now we must find pleasure in the little things life offers us. Dumbledore (I can’t believe his name showed up on autocorrect) reminds us in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that ‘happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light’. Even though I’m not much of a fan of his, that quote is a good one to keep in mind when the world starts to grow dark and you begin to lose sight of what makes it a great place.
Personally, I have always preferred the colder months to summer. Every year I dread the three months that turn my room into an oven, making it an unbearable living space. Then there’s all the insects that crawl out of wherever they spent the winter, invading your home. Sometimes I consider admitting defeat and giving up my room to the three spiders that take over my walls, such are the horrors of summer.
Winter banishes all those vile little intruders back into the holes they climbed out of and our houses become our own once again. So that’s one thing to look forward to – the swapping of real spiders for fake ones. But that’s just the beginning.
‘Tis the season of celebrations and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Goodbye spider season, hello spooky season. As the air becomes crisp and chill, the trees begin to shed and the leaves change colour. This reminds us of a holiday getting closer – Halloween. The red and yellow piles of leaves in autumn are a beautiful sight, getting us in the mood for the beloved holiday of sweets, costumes and horror films. It is the time of the year when it is socially acceptable to psychologically scar yourself by watching the most disturbing films and to go around scaring people. Somehow, trick and treat becomes trick. Usually there are Halloween parties to look forward to, along with the excitement of choosing a costume. But, yet again, Covid-19 has ruined a cherished holiday. Still, we must look on the bright side and find alternative ways to celebrate whilst also ensuring the safety of others. We all love Halloween, but we also love our family, so settling for a socially distanced version is fine, right? Watching horror movies on Netflix Party with a bunch of friends and surrounding yourself with guilty pleasures in the form of sweet treats is still something to look forward to. We all like to believe that Halloween is all about those children coming to knock on our doors, but let’s face it, this isn’t America and deep down you know that kilo of sweets you bought is really all for you.
So that’s the highpoint of October. Moving on, we have the best time of the year – Christmas. But before that we have Bonfire Night, with fireworks to look forward to. It’s a magical time of year – people start decorating and putting lights up everywhere. The sun may have abandoned us but London is lit up by the Christmas lights that we’ve waited all year to see; the angels lighting up Regent street, the enormous (how is it so big?) Covent Garden tree and the lights in Carnaby street are just a few examples of the beautiful sights of London. Then there’s the Christmas markets at the Southbank and the smell of hot chocolate in the air. Who knows what it will be like this year due to a certain annoying illness that refuses to go away, but I’ll be holding onto the memory of past years and imagining the festive spirit in the air. There is one thing I’m not sad to see go – Winter Wonderland. Every year it sounds like a cute thing to do with friends but the reality is always losing your companions in the ridiculous crowds and then spending the rest of the night looking for them. Still, I guess it was nice having the option. Maybe I will miss it after all, if only for the overpriced churros.
Next, of course, it’s New Years, a time for new beginnings and resolutions to be better next year. I know it’s a man-made concept, but there is something so reassuring about a fresh start, a whole new year free of mistakes. For most of us (myself included), these resolutions usually only last one day, but what a beautiful day it is.
This time of the year can be difficult for many people for understandable reasons. There’s the fear of exams getting closer, as revision marks the lead-up to the end of the year, made worse by the shortening days. But there’s also the wonderful holidays to look forward to, the times of the year where the whole world comes together and collectively celebrates centuries-old traditions. Supermarkets are filled with decorations and there is a buzz in the air. So, although we can no longer rely on the weather for having outdoor barbecues and picnics on Primrose Hill, instead we can make hot chocolate and have cosy nights in, watching movies and decorating the Christmas tree.
Time waits for no one so don’t let it slip past you. The present is a gift, one that keeps giving. Every season brings its own wonders, so here’s to ending the year with a more positive outlook and enjoying the time we have rather than reminiscing about time lost.