DST - SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK

Spring Forward and Fall Back

Many people in North America and the United Kingdom (UK) use the term “spring forward” and “fall back” when they refer to the daylight saving start and end dates. This is mainly due to the fact that DST occurs in the spring season and ends in the fall (or autumn) season in the northern hemisphere, where Canada, the UK, and the United States (USA) are located.

The term “to spring forward” refers to when people set the clocks one hour forward, marking the start of DST. It is a term that is easy to remember for many people in countries such as Canada, the UK and the USA. This is because the DST start date coincides with the spring season in these countries. It is the time of the year when the days begin to have longer hours of sunlight after the winter’s end, in addition DST, which brings forth an extra hour of daylight in the afternoons or evenings.

The term “to fall back” suggests that one must set the clocks one hour back when DST ends. It is associated with the fall (autumn) season because the DST schedule ends in the fall. The fall season and the end of daylight saving time mark a period when the days become darker, in that there are less hours of sunlight during the day, particularly in the afternoons or evenings, as winter soon approaches.

The phrase “spring forward, fall back” has been used for many years. The terms “spring forward” and “fall back” were mentioned in newspapers from as far back as the early part of the 20th century. For example, the Heppner Gazette-Times (October 28, 1928) printed a notice, stating “Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday, October 31. Remember to set your clocks back one hour, ‘Spring forward – Fall Back!’”. The use of the words “spring forward” and “fall back” became increasingly popular over time and these terms are now used widely across the United States and Canada, as well as in the UK.

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