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Why Do We Call it Spring?

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Colorful spring flowers
Why do we call it Spring
Why do we call it Spring?


Spring is here (according to our calendar, which uses the vernal equinox – the time that the day and night are about, but not exactly, the same length)!

Other cultures aligned spring around the equinox so that the traditional Chinese calendar considered spring as the time between the beginning of February and the beginning of May, with the equinox roughly in the middle. The Celts thought of spring during the same period based on the strength of the noon sun. Still others define their seasons more closely with the physical changes brought by the seasons, so that subtropical and tropical areas describe their seasons as dry or wet or monsoonal or cyclonical.

Before the 1300’s, this time of year was referred to in England as “Lent” (and the spring term at the University of Cambridge is still referred to as the Lent Term). It was in the 1300’s that people started calling this time of year “springing time” (for the flowers that sprang forth). A century later, the phrase was common enough that it had been shortened to “spring-time” and then in another 100 years, just “spring.”

The college “spring break” tradition traces its roots to 1936 when the swim coach at Colgate brought his team to train in Ft. Lauderdale; two years later, a city-hosted swim meet (brilliant marketing!) drew over 300 swimmers and a tradition spread to non-swimming college students, too.

The college “spring break” tradition traces its roots to 1936 when the swim coach at Colgate brought his team to train in Ft. Lauderdale; two years later, a city-hosted swim meet (brilliant marketing!) drew over 300 swimmers and a tradition spread to non-swimming college students, too.

The term “spring fever” referring to romance is thought to date to 1843; earlier it had been the name of a type of disease or head-cold common in certain locales. That year also saw the first use of “spring cleaning,” which itself may have come from the ancient Persian name for the first month (then March-April), Adukanaisa, which linguists think means “irrigation-canal-cleaning month.”

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About the Author: Yvonne Wonder

As the founder and managing director of Destination Sitters, LLC, a national hotel and event babysitting service, and the mother of two children, I strongly believe that family comes first. I personally needed babysitting when I moved to San Diego 14 years ago. Like most parents, I assumed there were standards for temporary babysitting; in reality, there are no state standards or licensing requirements for temporary babysitting. The idea for Destination Sitters was born! I wanted to Give Parents Peace of Mind® when traveling with their children, so I created strict screening requirements for the sitters we refer. There is nothing like the peace of mind that comes from getting great professional help to care for your children, especially when traveling away from home. I and my partners, along with our office staff, have that one goal in mind with everything we do. Through the years of working with children, I have been inspired to write three books, and this blog for parents’ and children’s wellbeing. I believe the best way to teach a child is leading by example, with love, honesty, integrity, compassion, perseverance, and personal responsibility. Learning these values and teaching children that all women and men are equal will encourage them to dream big to be anything they want to be! An entrepreneur for over 35 years, I previously spent years running a construction and design company with two offices in California and built million-dollar estates and remodeled existing ones. For three and half years, I was one of the primary designers on HGTV’s Curb Appeal. I have also been published in books, magazines and newspapers, and have been a featured designer in multiple showcase houses.

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