Winterval Is Over

[poliphilo]

We lack a single snappy term for the collection of religious and secular festivals that cluster round the Solstice and New Year- and when someone tried to supply one a few years back the culture warriors mocked it into oblivion. I rather regret this- or at least for the purposes of this post I do. "Winterval" is neat and witty, an improvement on the anodyne- and sprawling- "holiday season"-and by playing on the word "winter" contrives to incorporate a suggestion of snowflakes and icicles. I think I'm going to start using it again- without irony- and see what happens...

Anyway, today- which is a bank holiday- is the last day of the what-ever-you-want-to-call-it and I've taken down the Christmas tree, packed away the crib and am gearing myself up again for the entertaining business of buying and selling houses...

Comments

[sovay]

"Winterval" is neat and witty, an improvement on the anodyne- and sprawling- "holiday season"-and by playing on the word "winter" contrives to incorporate a suggestion of snowflakes and icicles.

I like "winterval." I have heard the time between Christmas and New Year's referred to the dead days, which is less festive, but which I also like—the extracalary, liminal end of the year.

[poliphilo]

They often feel dead. I had the sensation, knowing today was the last of them, that things were coming back to life again- and there were all sorts of things that needed to be done