Start and end of the seasons

Updated 6 Feb 26

Some musings originally posted on the RetroMat site in October last year

As we approach Halloween, I am reminded again of the wisdom of the ancients here-abouts who deemed this time of year as being (approximately) when Autumn ends and Winter starts.

Considering the hours of daylight, it makes so much more sense to have Winter starting at this mid-point (more accurately in early November, closer to Bonfire Night* here in the UK) between the Autumn equinox and Winter solstice, rather than as we do now, at the Winter solstice itself, especially as the latter is also known as Midwinter's Day.

(*Celebrating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, but no doubt replacing an earlier seasonal festival).

Similarly, for Summer, which should begin in early May, rather than at the Summer solstice, also known as Midsummer's Day. By the same logic Spring should start in early February, at the mid-point between the Winter solstice and Spring equinox and Autumn should begin in early August, at the mid-point between the Summer solstice and Autumn equinox. This still means there are four seasons of around 13 weeks' duration each, but they are now centred on the solstices and equinoxes.

In ancient times, these mid-points would have been noted or celebrated. Not surprisingly, the Church would have asserted itself by replacing or attempting to replace these festivals or occasions.

We have:

• end of Winter/start of Spring - Gaelic: Imbolc, Church: Candlemas, Catholic Church (Ireland): Saint Brigid's* Day
• end of Spring/start of Summer -  English: May Day, Welsh: Calan Mai, Gaelic: Beltane, Catholic Church associates the month of May with the Virgin Mary
• end of Summer/start of Autumn - Gaelic: Lughnasadh, Church: Lammas or Loaf Mass Day
• end of Autumn/start of Winter - English: precursor to Bonfire Night/Halloween**, Welsh: Calan Gaeaf (first day of Winter), Gaelic: Samhain, Church: Allhallowtide, comprising All Hallows' Eve, All Hallows' Day/All Saints' Day & All Souls' Day

(* quite distinct of course from the pre-Christian Irish goddess of the same name!

** meaning the 'pagan' celebration rather than the Christian All Hallows' Eve, after which it is named).

Note, in Welsh, the month of June is Mehefin, i.e. mid Summer, and July is Gorffennaf, i.e. end of Summer. The month of May is Mai, whereas we might have expected the equivalent of start of Summer. October is Hydref, the same as the Welsh for Autumn, although for consistency we might have expected it to be the equivalent of end of Autumn instead.