It is grey. It is wet.
It is cold - 'freezing' would be more accurate.
It is dark. It is unending.
It is the Great British Winter.
Daylight
The facts: from November to February,
there's light for an average of 8 hours per day
(make them six in December).
(make them six in December).
The gory details: it will be dark when you wake up at 8:00 am.
It will be dark for the school run at 15:30 pm.
Vitamin D is valued as a precious commodity.
The bright side: snoozing after 8:00 is the way to go;
doctors say so.
Your brain produces melatonin, a sleep hormone,
to cope with the lack of sunshine.
No need to rush out of bed, then.
Temperature
The facts: the average temperature
for the UK in winter is 3.5 °C.
The gory details: when it's dry, you freeze;
when it's wet, you soak.
Don't expect anything above 10°C,
you'll be disappointed.
The bright side: it is a nice, festive climate
to have around Christmas.
Perfect for shopping & drinking gluhwein
at the Christmas markets.
Elements
The facts: rain, lots of it (winter 2013/14 was the wettest on record).
Wind and storms (it is an island after all).
Snow, mist & fog (picturesque, but annoying after two days).
The gory details: your umbrella will become your right hand, literally.
Tip: don't buy beautiful suede shoes, only wellies.
The bright side: those rare, much awaited days,
when the sun shines, which remind you
Spring is just around the corner.
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You've summed it up perfectly! : )
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louisa!
DeleteSo. Very. True. This is my first UK winter (Scotland) and the grey is killing me softly.
ReplyDeleteThat rare sunshine makes me dance though!
Hi, Alison! Oh, I imagine winter in Scotland must be harsher than in England :( Hang in there, the sun will shine eventually!
DeleteI used to really struggle in the winter until I bought one of those SAD therapy lights. It worked within days (sorry I don't mean to sound like I am selling something but seriously I was amazed at the results. I highly recommend them :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Jenna, what a coincidence: I just read yesterday about those lights in Salma Hayek's interview, who said she is moving to London and bought those lights to cope with the lack of sunshine!
DeleteAouch. I'm coming from a place similar, with more cold weather (lots of snowstorms) and I do not miss winter a bit. Vitamin D and sunlight are so essential, we realized it after moving to California. It has really positively affected our mood! If we have to move to a less sunny-ish place, I'd def buy those lights...
ReplyDeleteHaha, yes, the lights look good! You are lucky there in California, it's sunny all year round!
DeleteAll the best from London, Melanie :)