Right now lilac season is starting in Toronto. Shouldn’t that be a true season in it’s own right?

When you think of it, it makes sense that we have more than four seasons. Heck according to this piece, Japan has 72 microseasons. Meanwhile in Canada, we often joke about having many microseasons, too, and they go like this:

1. WINTER (brutal cold)
2. fool’s spring (don’t get used to it)
3. second winter / bleak midwinter (oh well)
4. spring of deceptions (is spring here? As if!)
5. third winter (snowdrop flower season, snow melts fast, weird snowfalls in April)
6. pollen season (lilac season, tulip season)
7. SPRING (cool but green)
8. Nice summer (perfect weather)
9. SUMMER (brutal heat)
10. false fall (where’s the sweaters?)
11. second summer (that’s better)
12. AUTUMN (leaves turn color and fall)
13. Lovely holiday winter (not too cold)

I think we could easily get new names for all those seasons not capitalized.

Kurt Vonnegut took a stab at this and came up with six seasons: the original four plus two more, Locking and Unlocking. I think that is an improvement on the original four, but that’s just a start.

One good reason to have more seasons is that they remind you to appreciate the changes in the world around you. Another good reason is that it breaks down the seasons that can be difficult (winter for many, summer for me) and helps you get through them. Whatever the reason, having seasons based on the climate and less on solistices and equinoxes makes more sense.

I hope we get more seasons in Canada. For now we will have to stick with the four official ones and the many unofficial ones. Now go and enjoy the lilacs.