Welcome To Fall Or Autumn!

While some love the cooler days, for others, it means the impending winter season!  Here are some great facts about this wonderful season that are both topical and entertaining! 

Norther Americans typically refer to this time of year as “fall,” while the British use the word “autumn.” Historically, Fall was called “harvest” because of the “harvest moon” that occurs close to the autumn equinox.

Fall Is caused by the Earth’s tilt, not our distance from the sun. When the northern hemisphere tilts towards the sun, we get warmer. When it tilts away, we get colder. Fall and spring are the times of transition.

Weight gain around this time of year may not be from all the food. Researchers have found that lack of vitamin D reduces fat breakdown and triggers fat storage. So, the lack of sunlight has more to do with the extra gain than all the pumpkin spice lattes. Well, at least some of it.

Pumpkin spice has nothing to do with pumpkins. Pumpkin spice is actually the spice mix used for pumpkin pies. It is made from 3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoon ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoon of ground cloves. You can make it at home or buy it pre-mixed at the grocery store.

Fall colours are caused by the amount of sugar in leaves. The redder the leaf, the more sugar that leaf is storing. That is why Maple trees are so vibrant. Evergreens don’t change because their leaves have a thick wax covering that protects the chlorophyll (green) in the leaves.

Fall is for lovers. More people go from “single” to “in a relationship” or “engaged” in the fall than any other season. That may be because both men and women experience a higher level of testosterone in the colder months. We don’t have a great answer as to why that is, but more babies are conceived in cold months than any other time of year.

Children born in the fall are statistically better students and live longer. According to the UK Department of Education and the University of Chicago, Fall is the best time to be born.

Ancient people wore Halloween costumes to hide from ghosts. The Celtic tradition believed that ghosts roamed the earth on Halloween. Wearing a disguise would help you these spirits.