I am so excited. Aren’t you? Are you counting down the days? Are you wondering what on earth I’m talking about?
Daylight Saving Time of course! This Sunday, at 2 a.m., we get to spring forward! Woo hoo! I don’t even care that we lose an hour of sleep, it is totally worth it. I just love coming home from work knowing that I still have a few hours of daylight left. I feel so much more productive and I spend more time outside. I just love it.
So, in honor of the upcoming time change, I thought I’d share with you some little-known facts about Daylight Saving Time:
- Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea in 1784, but it didn’t take off until World War I. Then, it was in an effort to conserve fuel. The U.S. officially adopted it in 1918.
- It is actually “Daylight Saving Time” NOT “Daylight SavingS Time” as most of us say.
- U.S. territories that do not participate in DST are: Hawaii, Arizona, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands.
- Because we spring forward at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March, there are no babies born in the U.S. between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. that day!
- A study found that there are fewer violent crimes during Daylight Saving Time. I guess this makes sense—many violent crimes occur in the dark after dusk, so with more sunlight in the evenings, fewer violent crimes.
- Many countries observe DST, but not on the same day. This means some major confusion can occur for international travelers.
- It is officially the best time of year.
Ok, so I may have made up that last “fact,” but it’s true, isn’t it? I love eating dinner while it’s still light out, having the blinds and windows open to let in the light and warm summer air all evening, and feeling like I can spend more time outside and less time holed up in the house in front of the TV. Plus, the time change reminds us that summer is just around the corner!
*Facts from Web Exhibits and US News
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