Someone in the NaBloPo crowd (sorry can’t remember who) mentioned their favorite month is coming up. And ever since I got stuck in a thinking loop of what my favorite month is. And it is time to sort my incoherent thoughts and figure it out once and for all by making a Top 3 bottom 3 list.
Top 3 Months of the Year
December
Best month. We are starting of with Advent season. Not many celebrate that but here in Germany it is a bigger thing than in other countries. We start decorating, we have our Advent Calendar (I still get one every year from my mom), we have our Advent Kranz with our four candles and we start baking cookies, start making and getting presents, listening to the Christmas music, going to a concert and singing the best songs in church. I sit down crafting, writing cards and just being merry at heart.
Followed up by Christmas – that starts on December 24th – with much family time, best foods of the year and time slowing down. Hopefully with some snow and a winter stroll around town peeking into the windows and seeing all the great Christmas decorations.
And then we close out the month with the “in-between the years” period where time comes to a halt, everything is possible, days stretch on end, pyjamas are not being taken off, movie marathons and lots of reflecting and making plans and goals and finding a new word for the upcoming years.
I would not mind making December a 60 day month to stuff it all in here. But maybe the magic is because it is a limited time the season is not available at random.
February
If climate agrees winter is finally in full swing. Snow and ice and some storms followed by bright sunshine and magical glistering of snow so you can hardly see. Steaming hot punch or spicy drinks while being wrapped in a blanket reading a great fairy tale book.
The year has settled, the goals are made and it is time to take those seriously. Now is the time to see if you really meant those resolutions. Will you keep your priorities and carry on?
And of course it is the month of my wedding anniversary and we usually take at least a long weekend off to go on vacation somewhere and reminiscent our honeymoon at the arctic circle.
And last but not least February is the only special month with being shorter of days. Gotta love the underdog, right?
June
First hot days, sunshine, everything blooms and wakes up and there is a buzz of excitement. It is strawberry, rhubarb and asparagus season. Reading outside is possible. The brave can already dip into the lakes and the nights are long.
And of course it is my and husbands birthday months so lots of celebration and happy times filled with cakes and flowers and fun people.
It is also mid year. Time to re-evaluate. Do the goals need adapting? Do we need to shift gears? Is everything according to plan? Love it.
Bottom 3 Months of the Year
July
Arghhhh it’s getting hot. Migraines flare up. It is getting hotter and everyone is crazy because of the heat and the summer vacation excitement.
Berlin is crowded. Nature is crowded. Everyone is loud. Everyone thinks it is ok to blast music no matter where they are and who is around. No respect, too many drunk people.
What is there to love?
August
See July.
It is only slightly better. It is so hot that it might almost be interesting. Migraines are still a terror. I hole up inside. At least there are cold drinks and ice cream to make it bearable. Also there is a certain idleness that slows down life. I can be ok with that.
April
This pick was the toughest pick but I decided it will April. Even though Easter falls into this month more often than not.
But the weather is crazy. Not warm yet, still snow, lots of rain. You never know what to wear. Everyone complains that summer is not yet here. Usually it is full of work and crazy busy. No time to relax. Just an overall blaaaa month.
I know many of you will not agree on this with me so let’s hear it: What is your favorite month? How would you convince me of summer months being better than winter months? Anyone else loving the winter season more than summer? What is the most underestimated month in your opinion? Which month can go to trash? Can we still be friends?
20 comments
Top: August, September, December
Bottom: January, March, April
Well we agree one on in the top and one in the bottom. Cool.
I agree re: your bottom 3 FOR SURE. April in academia is the pits. I do really love fall, so October goes on the top for me.
BUT– my real takeaway here is your approach to February. For so,me reason, I expect it to signal spring on the horizon, which of course it does not. I like the idea of leaning into cozy and appreciating the business of a new year.
Thank you Sarah. Yes, in the end so much comes down to mindset. Have you read the book “Wintering” by Katherine May? This might be a good guide appreciating the cozy and slower time of year.
Wow! February is one of your FAVORITES? We are living in different worlds.
Top: May, August, December
Bottom: February, March, September (this all has to do with SAD – these months are DIRE in terms of daylight/winter seeming neverending)
Haha we do live in different worlds. I am sorry you are struggling during the darker month. I can relate I struggle in the summer. But we agree on December being a great month.
I loved that line for December: “I sit down crafting, writing cards and just being merry at heart.” <3
Top: December, October, May.
I am also very much into Christmas, October is always glorious in California (and a lot of important birthdays are in October), and May is the beginning of summer and our anniversary month.
Bottom: August, January, June.
August is HOT, January always feels like a lot of pressure to me (although I don't let the whole "New Year's resolution, new year, blank slate"-business bother me), June feels like just a random month.
Well we do agree on December. I am sure my picks would slightly change if I lived somewhere else. May was a close one to include but I opted for June as it’s my birthday month.
This is so interesting! I like your take on February. It is usually an unpopular month in Canada, because we are pretty tired of winter by then.
My top three are probably May, August, and December – December for the same reasons you mentioned! May because of flowers and the world coming alive (and it’s my birthday month), August because we usually have great weather, not too many bugs, and the feeling of every day being precious (especially for teachers like me!).
Bottom three… honestly, it depends on the weather. I love all the seasons, wouldn’t trade them for anything. But I’ve survived some pretty tough Novembers and Februarys or Marches – if there’s no snow, and no leaves, and cold/wet, it’s hard. Some Februarys are beautiful if they’re snowy enough. These days, as the climate changes, you never know what to expect!
I agree. Month with no leave but no snow are hard. A lot of grays. November is such a month here. March can also be rather boring but we might get the first flowers.
August has a lot of bugs here so that is not a favorite.
And I agree I rather live somewhere with a season and handle some more tougher months than having the same old same old year round.
Oooh this is surprisingly difficult! I love your choices. I think August is in my bottom three — it’s hot, it’s the end of summer which means transitions, it’s usually either super humid or there are fires everywhere. Maybe March is up there? It’s still usually wintery enough for me to start feeling weary of winter… but not cold enough for snow to be reliable for skiing.
Top months… January usually feels like such a relief — no more holidays, and the fresh start of the new year. I love May because the days are longer and trees are in bloom. I love October because the trees are gorgeous and the weather is usually so crisp and wonderful. November I cold take or leave. Maybe it’s one of the bottom three, too.
November is tough here too. Lots of rain, low temperatures but not really cold yet and it’s so so gray.
March is a weird one… maybe I should have switched that with April. I do love January and it almost made it but I opted to take in June as one other month beside winter.
I was thinking you would be one of the few who would put February in the top 3! I agree with you that I love December, and it should definitely be 60 days long. I also love November, because it has Thanksgiving (in the US) and also the anticipation of the Christmas season starting. For my third in the top I might include October. For the bottom three- since i live in Florida I’m going to say June, July and August. It’s so, so, so hot here and there’s no end in sight during those months. At least in September and October we can start to hope for a cool down.
Love this post!!!
We’ll heat is just a no no so I can relate to you bottoms.
We agree on December. November here is rather gray and rainy so it’s hard to love that month.
I like every season for its own reason, so I don’t think I can pick. When my daughter was a kid, I enjoyed the slow down and relax of July and August, but now that she’s an adult I don’t like the heat. I hate fire season, which hasn’t been bad this year (knock on wood!)
Around here, February is usually a rainy month, and since California is often a drought state, I love that. Mostly I love spring, because everything is green and not too hot. December is fun, I enjoy that.
I agree with you that each season has its own magic. I would not want to live in a country where it’s always the same and the temperatures only slightly change. That said I still have my favorites but even though I am not a fan of some month I am ok they exist
my tops are December, July (summer holidays) and April (school break).
I love doing advent calendar with the girls, about to write ideas for this year.
Well, we do agree on December.
I am sure my month would look different if I had a different life or life phase.
Top 3: September, November, and December. I love the start of the fall season and football with September, November has Thanksgiving and my birthday month, and December is the holiday season! It’s funny what you said about December being 60 days long – maybe that’s why I start decorating for Christmas in November and listening to Christmas music early – I can stretch out the holiday season that way!
Bottom 3: February, July, and August. While we have nice weather in February, I just really struggle with my mental health during February for some reason. And July and August are SO HOT here in Florida.
Mental struggle is always tough and I can totally understand that it can manifest in certain month. For me that is the hotter weather season with migraine and I just feel exhausted and tired and angry and depressed.
We do agree on December. Yeah for Holiday Season.