Dark evenings- how exciting!

[Moondust]

I am very hyped and silly at the moment. It's 22:45 where I am, but tonight it started getting dark around 7.30 instead of the 9pm light I've been resenting all summer.

I love dark evenings drawing in, it's my favourite sign of winter coming closer. I even went so far tonight as to put the fire on in the loft. Unfortunately, the only outcome was that the heat lured out the mutant mother of all spiders, which scuttled at me and resulted in much screaming and seeking help and rescue.

That little horror aside, it felt so nice to be watching the glow of my fireplace (though ok, I admit, it's a false electric one) and seeing the dark sky through the attic windows. I can't wait until it starts getting dark at about 5pm. That's the best feeling ever, watching car headlights and shop windows glowing in the very early evening. It's so atmospheric!

I'm not going back to Uni until October, which is annoying me. First term= countdown to Christmas for me, and being stuck at home still feels like being stuck in summer!

Does anyone else get as overexcited as I do about these darker evenings and colder weather? Or am I just more crazy than I realised? :snowball:

[joyful]

If you like shorter daylight hrs and cold weather, that's fine. Different strokes for different folks. You are not crazy. It's a matter of preference.

I prefer long warm days with plenty of sunshine. I really hate the darkness coming so soon. The cold weather brings a host of expense and problems that I would not rather deal with but living where I live I have to deal with it.

So enjoy your winter experience. I'm glad you are getting such a nice feeling about this time of year.

[Mumof2]

I like it when it starts to get dark also,Around 4:30pm est.

[Snow is falling...]

Yeah, getting darker sooner here, too. We also lit our first fire of the season :) I like it!

[Snow-in-Texas]

I can't say I liked it getting dark earlier when I was in Maryland, but I love here in Texas. I guess with the hot summers here, I will take anything that cools it off.

[Santa's Helper]

I love the early darkness as well. I love fall and winter. I especially hate the long summer days with it being light up until 9 pm because I work midnight shift so I hate trying to sleep when I know it's light outside. Sometimes I just can't do it. I hate to have blinds up and closed all the time so I don't and that can make it tough sometimes to fall asleep with the light coming in the window. When it gets dark at 5 it's perfect because I try to go to sleep around that time of day!!!

[Christmas-A-Holic]

I am like you Moondust! I love it when it gets dark early and the temps cool down. The summers here are miserable and I am not to fond of it not getting dark until 9 pm when it's so close to bed time. I love it when it starts getting dark around 6 pm. I actually feel more energetic during the cloudy colder months than I do when the weather is hot and sunny. I know most people feel physically better when the weather is warm but it just doesn't do that for me, I feel sluggish and wiped out.

[Yuletide Junkie]

The fading of Summer into Fall is wonderful. I enjoyed a noon skate today. A few leaves falling here & there, birds heading south, & longer shadows on the ground.

[Wenceslaus]

Dark evenings are OK to a point. But I dislike when Daylight Saving Time ends in November here in the U.S., and suddenly it gets dark an hour earlier. In the month before and after the winter solstice, we're going to work just after the sun has risen, and we go home from work as the sun is setting. It gets depressing. :-? Some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder) from having so little sunlight.

You in the UK have it even worse (or better, as you see it). In London, by December 1, the sun rises at 7:44 a.m. and sets at 3:55 p.m.

Thank goodness for Christmas to keep our spirits up!

[Faith4always]

I love when it starts getting darker earlier too!! cheesy

[ryansrs1]

Agree Moondust, i to love the winter months and when it starts getting dark earlycheesy. It gives this time of year that extra special 'feel' to it-even more so when it gets colder.

Great going for a walk in woods/parks (hope that aint sound wierd) this time of year when the leaves start to drop and theres a nip in the air-good to clear the mind. And also the hustle and bustle in he shops, everyone in coats,dark early, cold out and christmas stock in shops with houses decorated with christmas lights (has to be dark for the best effect)-great stuff.

[irishsnow]

Its getting darker earlier here aswell

Its dark over here now around 9:15 or so

[ballcoach]

Ah.....dark coming early, long sleeve shirts, and cold weather....while we are getting there, we are not there yet! But I can't wait!

[kerst]

I prefer long summer evenings. It stays light here until 11:00 PM in mid-summer. Now it gets dark around 08:30 and the sun rises at 07:00 AM.

Of course winter evenings are cozy and have their charm but it doesn't have to come too soon for me. I like to enjoy the summer a bit longer.

[Moondust]

Wow, there's definitely a mixed opinion on this one!

I just love the wintery, cosy atmosphere so much. I loved last year at Uni when I'd be walking home from a late afternoon tutorial and all the street lamps would be lit and there'd be a slight chill in the air. Sitting in a coffee shop with a festive latte, watching people shopping in a darkening street, perfection.

I'm getting excited now. It's September. Squee! *twitches*

[auntieclaus]

Nope, I love the early evenings, everything is so nice and cozy. I even love dark rainy days too!

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Dark evenings are OK to a point. But I dislike when Daylight Saving Time ends in November here in the U.S., and suddenly it gets dark an hour earlier. In the month before and after the winter solstice, we're going to work just after the sun has risen, and we go home from work as the sun is setting. It gets depressing. :-? Some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder) from having so little sunlight.

You in the UK have it even worse (or better, as you see it). In London, by December 1, the sun rises at 7:44 a.m. and sets at 3:55 p.m.

Thank goodness for Christmas to keep our spirits up!

I know people who suffer from this. I really feel bad for them. I think where I live tho it has an opposite effect on me. Too much sun going on until 9 pm drags me down. The heat is miserable here and zaps all my energy, then the depressing electric bills! In the winter we only see electric bills around 100 bucks, in the summer they jump up to around 500 bucks and I don't even keep the house as cool as I would like to. I know when people live in the north the winters are so bad that you cannot really go outside and do anything. That is the way it is here in the summer, you almost have to stay indoors all the time and the only thing you can do outdoors and be comfortable is swim. I can walk outside at 7 in the morning and it already feels awful! The kids want to go to the park but it's just too hot. But it's just me because I have talked to some people in my area and they love it hot over cold any day. When the daylight savings comes around in November and it cools down I get lots of energy and overall feel a lot better! I think that is strange how I am affected like that when most have an opposite effect.

Today we are going to cookout but it will be too hot to eat outdoors, lol. Just going to cook and bring it all inside. cheesy

[Santa's Helper]

Dark evenings are OK to a point. But I dislike when Daylight Saving Time ends in November here in the U.S., and suddenly it gets dark an hour earlier. In the month before and after the winter solstice, we're going to work just after the sun has risen, and we go home from work as the sun is setting. It gets depressing. :-? Some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder) from having so little sunlight.

You in the UK have it even worse (or better, as you see it). In London, by December 1, the sun rises at 7:44 a.m. and sets at 3:55 p.m.

Thank goodness for Christmas to keep our spirits up!
Back in the mid 90's when I used to work at this depressing place I used to get SAD. I never disliked the fact that it was nearly dark when I went to work and when I came home from work but, the fact that I worked in a warehouse type place with very little natural light and the overhead lighting was terrible as well is what did it to me I think. When I drove to work, it was barely light out, then 8-9 hours/day in that terrible building with little light to see by, then the drive home was barely light out and by the time we sat down to dinner it was completely dark out. I really never got a chance to see the sunlight at all! I'm not bothered by it now though and I work midnight shift!

[snowberry]

I love it too. It means fall and winter are near. And I wish they would abolish daylight savings time and go back to normal time year round. Instead daylight savings is lasting longer. sigh. When I was a kid we only had normal time.

I lit a fire in my chimenea last week. but it was my last log left over from last year. Have to go buy some more when I have extra money.

This morning I walked in fog. It was cool but not cold. A perfect early fall day. And I really needed the walk.

I listened to some Kenny G Christmas earlier today. And my son is supposed to be bringing down my fall decorations if he can find them. lol. If not, I guess I'll have to go search.

snowberry (who thanks Jesus for foggy days)

[Wenceslaus]

And I wish they would abolish daylight savings time and go back to normal time year round. Instead daylight savings is lasting longer. sigh. When I was a kid we only had normal time.Daylight saving time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States) (it's saving daylight) has a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages. One thing I try to do whenever possible is to get outside during lunch break to soak up whatever sunlight there is.

[made582]

I love it when it starts to get dark out earlier. I love to sit in my apartment with no lights on and just candles burning. The only bad part about it getting dark out earlier is that means I can't sit out on my porch that much longer becasue it will be getting to cold at night.

[Holiday]

I am dreading the darkness. To me it is so depressing. I can understand how some people like it... I do like going home from work sometimes & putting on my pj's (in the winter) but I love when it's light outside til 10:00 pm! LOVE IT! My energy level goes way down in the winter when it's dark so much too. But I love burning candles & lighting the fireplace, so there are definately some good points. I'm just not ready. Winter also scares me with my aging parents (80 & 81) Seems like every winter gets tougher on them! :(

[Minta]

Same here I enjoy it when it gets darker earlier in the evening. We decorate outside for fall/halloween and Christmas and I enjoy coming home from work to a house that is lit up with decorations.

[Minta]

I love it when it starts to get dark out earlier. I love to sit in my apartment with no lights on and just candles burning. The only bad part about it getting dark out earlier is that means I can't sit out on my porch that much longer becasue it will be getting to cold at night.

Sit out there wrapped up in a soft blanket drink a nice hot beverage. That's is what I like to do on my deck.

[CharlestonNole]

Vampires REJOICE! :coffin:

[Dukicin1]

I've always enjoyed the fall and winter because it gets dark earlier. I can pull the kids in earlier from playing outside and we can spend more hours having quality family time doing puzzles, reading, watching movies, etc. My kids fought coming in early more when they were younger. I guess after a long summer of long days playing with their friends has finally gotten old, because now they look forward to being able to tell their friends they've got to go in because it's dark.

Can't wait to light the fireplace and have hot coco. It's getting dark between 7:30 and 8:00 here but in a couple weeks that is going to change drastically.

[made582]

Sit out there wrapped up in a soft blanket drink a nice hot beverage. That's is what I like to do on my deck.



I have done that before and I have even used a little tabletop grill to start a fire in to heat it up. I just have to watch for the skunks and racoons more because they come around alot when it gets dark out.

[snowytree]

I don't mind it to much, except for the mornings my kids wait in the pitch black darkness for the school bus! I kind of wish we would do away with daylight savings. I do however love the Fall time and the beauty it can bring.

[lauriebear777]

I am not sure which I enjoy better... Being from NY I have to admit I love Fall, but I love Spring, Summer, and Winter too... Getting dark early has it's appeal around the Hoilday's as I love to see my outside display all algow but come Feb I just cannot wait for the longer, brignter days of Spring and Summer... I guess I do not have a favorite... Each one has it's own enjoyment for me, although I do remember being being in MI and the day light would last during August to me, it was cool.

[reindeerelf]

Nope, I love the early evenings, everything is so nice and cozy. I even love dark rainy days too!

I agree. They make me settle down and relax. When it's bright and sunny I feel like I should be doing one of those chores that always need to be done around the house or garden.