Talk:Winter

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Winter was the collaboration of the week for the week starting on August 7, 2005. For details on improvements made to the article, see history of past collaborations.

Contents 1 How is the Narnia Series relevent? 2 untitled 3 wado kai karate do 4 Brainstorm 5 moved out contribution 6 From EB online: 7 Mythological explanations 8 A few notes 9 Too many links 10 Mythological explanations changes 11 Bobsledding 12 Temperature scale 13 Causes for seasons 14 Countries with Winter Season 15 History behind the year starting in winter 16 How was the four seasons named ? 17 Insects in winter 18 cheese mother? 19 Leanne Richards 20 Reverted vandalism.

[edit] How is the Narnia Series relevent?

It says: See also The lion the witch and the Wardrobe. The reason given is that it was always winter, never christmas. Well, then instead, there should be a section about books that take place in the winter. I am deleting it.

[edit] untitled

I have removed a "see also" link to axial tilt and supplanted it with one to the more comprehensive article on seasons. -Smack 19:05, 7 Dec 2003 (UTC)

[edit] wado kai karate do

wado kai karate do

Apparently the Met Office was asked by another government department for an official definition of winter, expecting actual dates. The answer "Winter begins when all the leaves have fallen off the trees and ends when the bulbs start growing again." (Transfer to Wikijokes if desired.)

[edit] Brainstorm

What sections should be included?

traditions (festivals, activities, etc.)

weather

plant/animal life?

What else?

lots of issues | leave me a message 01:15, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

winter as a metaphor and in arts, literature Junes 09:33, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

In some areas, winter is known to have psychological effects on people. Circeus 12:27, August 9, 2005 (UTC)

I've visited the university library yesterday, but I only managed to find a book on the ecology of winter, which I won't even attempt to write about. Books on the cultural/literary lore of Winter didn't turn up. I'm going again tommorow. Suggestions? lots of issues | leave me a message 19:49, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

How about the impact of winter on various cultures and areas? In just North America, winter in Wisconsin is very different from winter in Florida. Frankja 21:18, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

Have we all heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? Mark Lewis 15:24, 10 August 2005 (UTC)

I have heard that winter in southern hemisphere is weaker than in northern, is it correct? What about some average temperatures? Also see hibernation. Samohyl Jan 19:49, 10 August 2005 (UTC)

What about exceptional winters, hot/cold, long/short. Also exceptional events (Winter of Discontent for example) during winter, the effect of winter on the economy (fuel etc).

Yes there certainly should be a section for "great winters" from the cold that quashed the '41 German campaign to the Winter of Discontent. Can anyone with science background start the animal/plant ecology sections? lots of issues | leave me a message 01:43, 11 August 2005 (UTC)

There should be a section dealing with mythological explanations of winter. It could start with the famous greek tale.. Live Forever 03:07, 14 August 2005 (UTC)

This article had a lot of potential but unfortunately it would have required us to track down disparate research to organize. If only there was already a book that covered all aspects of winter. lots of issues | leave me a message 21:59, 14 August 2005 (UTC)

A few more exceptional winters would be the blizzard in New York (1888) and the winter in 1812 that hurt Napolean. I'm going to start work on this tomorrow but please feel free to start it.--Banana04131 03:56, 19 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] moved out contribution

" Another psycological view is also that due to not getting light and not letting the body shut down for the winter as it usually would do (due to humans not being able to hibernate very long and that we must get up for work, school, etc.) makes us all very crabby and unpleasant when we would prefer to sleep and cannot migrate down south for the winter all the time, but that when we do travel towards the equator in the winter, to say Hawaii and Mexico, we do feel happier, but that may partially be due to the fact that we get to travel." I felt this was just a restatement of the existing text. lots of issues | leave me a message 19:55, 12 August 2005 (UTC)

I've added to the section on Winter in the arts, but it needs more work. The reference to paintings showing the four seasons should be specific, not general.

[edit] From EB online:

" the name comes from an old Germanic word that means “time of water” and refers to the rain and snow of winter in middle and high latitudes." Mark Lewis 22:02, 17 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mythological explanations

I have added the section Mythological explanations of winter. However, I only know of the greek myth, so this section needs expanding. --Banana04131 17:18, 18 August 2005 (UTC)

Added Indian myth about how all the seasons were made but removed all the parts non-specific to winter. Added link to full myth at bottom.--Banana04131 18:53, 18 August 2005 (UTC)

I've read elsewhere that the Persephone myth is actually about the drought of the *summer* season in Greece -- not winter. If this is verified, the mention of Persephone should be deleted -- or the common misconception that the story is about winter be noted.

Also "In Native American myth" is not acceptable -- there are hundreds of distinct cultures with different mythologies. This is almost a kind of racism, like mixing up Japanese and Chinese culture. Which specific Native American culture? (by anon user 66.81.220.46)

I'm pretty sure the Greek myth is accurate.

Further research makes me think the Zion tribe is where the myth originated. This may not be factual, but since it bothers you I will change it. --Banana04131 23:31, 4 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] A few notes

The activities section was originally intended as a small list at the bottom. I like the short descriptions but I think they're a little cluttered looking. Any input?

Should there be an etymology section?

I'll keep checking this page so post some ideas.

Olleicua 23:33, 18 August 2005 (UTC)

I don't really see the need unless the etymology is different or interesting. --Banana04131 01:08, 19 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Too many links

Hello, I'm new here, and I'm kind of afraid to take the liberty to make edits - as least for now. However, I have an observation to make: underlining every other word makes the text hard to read. I notice that some of the links are completely irrelevant to the subject: while it is acceptable that people might find interest in learning more on "seasons" I can't see what the links to various dates such as "December 21" have to offer.

Agree. The world ice should not be linked. --Banana04131 19:33, 21 August 2005 (UTC)

well ice i think is relevant but dates are a different issue. Many Wikipedia articles have dates and years linked. Whether or not this is good is a question of taste. However as I have found that overlinkage is more common I generally conform for the sake of standardization. Olleicua 22:28, 23 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mythological explanations changes

The paragraph that details a "Zion myth" is of dubious quality. "Zion" here refers to the Zion Natural History Organization, which has allowed, as is obvious from the link provided, for a myth to be copied from "Why the North Star Stands Still and other Stories" by William R. Palmer. I wished to remove the misleading paragraph entirely, which did not seem to fit in the article very well. However, this was reverted by Banana04131. As I am willing to compromise, and think edit wars are ridiculous, I have only changed the short paragraph by clarifying the initial words, as well as the link provided at the bottom of the article. "Zion myth" makes it sound like "Zion" is a religion or something equally substantial, which it apparently is not. (Zionism is something completely different, and about the Zion tribe, you do not seem sure either, Banana.) To state that the paragraph is from an uncertain Native American tribe seems to me to be the least confusing way to cite the myth, and its unencyclopedic reference... Eduardo_Cuellar

P.S. Stating "Native American myth" is not racist... It is as accurate as you can be when you DO NOT KNOW what tribe it came from! To have been racist would have been to be derogatory, by writing something like "According to some Indians...", etc. I myself am part Native American, so I hope you understand, Banana.

[edit] Bobsledding

Shouldn't bobsledding be listed under ice rather than snow activities? Andjam 02:47, 31 December 2005 (UTC)

I should think so. Of course, we haven't had cold weather and snow in like forever even though we live in Michigan, so I couldn't exactly say. Scorpionman 14:03, 4 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Temperature scale

"(at least 10 degrees below zero)." Is this Celsius or Fahrenheit?

[edit] Causes for seasons

The distance the Earth is from the Sun has no effect on the seasons. It is extremely misleading to begin the article saying that the distance affects temperature on Earth even though the article later refutes that point. Therefore, I deleted the first sentence of the first paragraph.

[edit] Countries with Winter Season

I suggest that we add a table or a listing of countries that experience the winter season. This may further be classified into those countries with occasional snow fall like those in northern Africa and the Middle East.

I think all countries experience a winter in one form or another. Whether they have snowfall or freezing temperatures is irrelevent. Surely, the coolest time of year is winter. --IanUK

[edit] History behind the year starting in winter

Coming from the southern hemisphere the question has occurred to me of why, before calendars, the year was considered to start in winter. It doesn't appear to be a question that has occurred to anyone anwhere on the internet. Would it be one for modern psychologists or were there cultural/religious/astronomical reasons for the winter solstice being chosen over the summer solstice? Did the Chinese start their year in winter? What about the Mayans? - Diceman 18:38, 24 March 2006 (UTC)

It was originally because the Romans ran their Julian calendar from March through February. 1st = March, 2nd = April, 3rd = May, etc., 7th = September, 8th = October, 9th = November, 10th = December, 11th = January, 12th = February. Because March was the planting season, the year began then. Later, the first month became January since that was when consuls were elected. —Last Avenue [talk | contributions] 23:42, 24 March 2006 (UTC)

From Gregorian calendar#Beginning of the year:

Beginning of the year During the Middle Ages 1 January was given the name New Year's Day (or an equivalent name) in all Western European countries (those with predominantly Catholic populations), even while most of those countries began their numbered year on 25 December (the Nativity of Jesus), then 25 March (the Incarnation of Jesus), and even Easter, as in France. This name was the result of always displaying the months of the medieval calendar from January to December (in twelve columns containing 28 to 31 days each), just like the Romans did. Furthermore, all Western European countries (except for a few Italian states) shifted the first day of their numbered year to 1 January while they were still using the Julian calendar, before they adopted the Gregorian calendar, many during the sixteenth century. Eastern European countries (most of them with populations showing allegiance to the Orthodox Church) began their numbered year on 1 September (since about 988). The following list is partially based on Old Style and New Style Dates and The Change of New Year's Day.

You're falling into the same trap, why isn't 1 January in the middle of the northern hemisphere summer? That could explain something, as far as crops go (in temperate regions) the start of the year is in spring, and for agarian socities the busy part of the year would be over summer, with nothing to do in winter (although in urban societies winter is the busy part of the year and holidays are in summer). So the end of one year and the beginning of another would naturally fall in or near winter. But this is just supposition on my part and I haven't found any direct statements on the subject via google searches yet. Disappointingly the Mayans weren't in the southern hemisphere so all the calendars were invented in the northern hemisphere. - Diceman 15:23, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How was the four seasons named ?

Does anyone know how the four seasons were named ? -- Wintersweet98

http://askoxford.com/ ¦ Reisio 20:52, 1 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Insects in winter

Though I'm ignorant of the answer, it would improve the section regarding animals and plants to include something on how insects surive the winter (they obviously don't just all die or flee to my basement).

[edit] cheese mother?

In the mythological explainations of winter it states: 'In Greek mythology, Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his wife. Zeus ordered Hades to return her to Demeter, the goddess of the earth and her cheese mother.' When I tried to edit it out of the article, the word 'cheese' was not on the edit page. Could someone please do something about this or lock this article because of vandalising? Thanks. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.185.167.198 (talk) 19:33, 10 December 2006 (UTC).

[edit] Leanne Richards

Did someone throw the line "Some people such as Leanne Richards differ in their opinions. But they are wrong.", as a joke? I for one have no idea who Leanne Richards is. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 12.215.179.175 (talk) 20:08, 19 December 2006 (UTC).

[edit] Reverted vandalism.

Page has been changed to "sucks", reverted to the last real version. Twfowler 18:57, 13 March 2007 (UTC)