Last week, I invited readers to write in with thoughts on the all-important question, “November: What is it good for?” Here are the results.
Seventy per cent agreed there’s no excuse for November.
Ten per cent asked for more jokes about the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Five per cent offered November trivia, including Dale (Ottawa), who reports, “When Julius Caesar changed the calendar from 10 months to 12, he left the name of November, which means ‘nine,’ the same even though it was now the 11th month.”
Which just goes to prove that Julius couldn’t deal with November either.
An impressive 15 per cent of those who wrote in were actually able to come up with reasons to love November. Here’s a sampling.
Joan (Halifax): How can anyone not love November? All those giant bags of Halloween candy go on sale. Not to mention what you can pilfer from your kids’ haul. I love this month! Oh, I’m a dentist.
Kathryn in Calgary writes: Thank you so much for letting us know that calories consumed in November don’t count. I immediately upsized to an extra-large latte. You were serious about that, right?
Um … sure …
Brian (Edmonton): How can you not love November? It’s the best month. Too late to have to mow your lawn, but too early to have to shovel your driveway.
I think Brian is onto something here.
Anshul, also from Edmonton, says: I love November because it’s the anniversary of when I immigrated to Canada from southern India. In the taxi from the airport, I could see snow blowing sideways and I was shivering so hard I thought I’d got sick. I asked the driver if the weather was always like this. He said, “Oh no. Sometimes it gets really wintery.” I almost went right back home.
Ah yes, fond memories.
Mara (Edmonton) says: I love November because it’s time to decorate my whole house for Christmas!
Mara, putting up Christmas decorations in November is ridiculous. Mine have been up since September.
Katrina writes from Victoria: I love November because it means that in just three months there will be spring flowers in my garden.
OK, from now on, when it’s a weather-related question no one from Victoria is included.
John (Toronto): You’ve forgotten the most important event of November. Remembrance Day. Our chance to remember and to thank those who gave their lives for us.
Yeah and … no. There’s no way to make that funny. Thank you, John.
