Autumn is the season after summer, when leaves fall from trees and days get shorter and colder. It’s nature’s last hurrah before the long, dark winter, and it’s celebrated all over the world in a variety of ways: with pumpkin spice lattes, harvest festivals, Halloween costumes, a big bonfire night and Thanksgiving feasts. We even use autumn metaphorically to talk about people, such as that luminous older actress who’s in the autumn of her career (not yet playing roles in nursing homes but not scampering around in bikinis either).
It’s also the time of year when we turn our attention inside and put away the bright outdoor furniture for the season, and start thinking about cozying up to a fire with some cocoa or mulled cider. It’s a beautiful, reflective and moody time of the year.
This gorgeous track by these two jazz legends, recorded in 1934, captures a lot of what we love about this time of the year. The mellow tune tells the story of lovers, past and present, who have gone their separate ways but continue to think about each other, with a sense of melancholy that comes from the knowledge that one dream is over but another will come along soon.
Meteorologically, autumn starts on Sept. 1 and ends on Nov. 30 – although it might not feel like fall on those dates, depending on the weather. But the astronomical start date of the season is the autumnal equinox, which happens on Sept. 21 or 22 every year. This is when the sun is directly over Earth’s equator and day and night are of roughly equal length all over the world.
The name of the season, derived from the Latin word aequus (equal) and nox (night), also references this moment – the time when day and night are in balance. It’s the only season with more than one common name.
In addition to the astronomical autumnal equinox, many cultures have their own traditions and celebrations to mark the season, with a mix of gratitude for the bountiful harvest and melancholy for the coming winter months. These include the autumn harvest festivals of indigenous Americas, Jewish Sukkot, Chinese Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival and more.
It’s also a great time to go foraging – look out for wild berries, flowers, cattails or other interesting greenery in the local park. Or simply get some fresh air and take a walk to see all the changing colors of autumn in your own backyard. Then you can truly appreciate the beauty of this special season. Just remember to wear your wool socks and mittens, just in case.