Summer is in full swing. You’ve put your heavy coats and boots away in the closet, and now you love wearing easy-breezy clothing and sandals that don’t require layers of socks. Barbecues are your new go-to for dinners; beach trips are a regular occurrence (or at least trips to the pool); and, of course, your kids are having a ball — screaming, laughing, and running around outdoors. It’s no wonder that the summertime is a favorite time of year for everyone in the family. Summer really is the perfect, lazy season… that doesn’t seem to last long enough. Which begs the question: When does summer end?
While you definitely want to enjoy every moment of the remaining warmer months without getting too worried when it’s all going to end, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead so you can do those last-minute summer weather activities or prepare some special things to do with the kids to commemorate the end of summer.
When does summer end?
You probably start getting the impression that summer is ending when the days become shorter and the humidity at night drops, and you can feel fall in the air. The last day of summer aligns with the autumn equinox in September, which marks the first day of fall. This is determined by the sun passing over the equator in a southward motion, causing the sun to shine its rays equally on both sides of the hemisphere. As soon as the moment passes, the North Pole tilts away from the sun, and that’s why we get those long, dark nights in the fall.
Does summer end on the same day every year?
No. While it falls around the same time in September, give or take a couple of days, the end of summer — aka the autumn equinox — doesn’t start on the same day every year. The Earth has its own timelines, which is why we have a Leap Year every four years.
So, in 2022, the last day of summer in North America is Thursday, September 22.
What are some ways to celebrate the end of the summer?
While no one truly wants to celebrate the end of the summer, it’s a great opportunity to get a little creative, have some family bonding time with the kiddos, enjoy the sunshine, and bask in the warm weather as much as you can before you need to grab a sweater.
You don’t need to travel far to sleep underneath the stars and experience the magic of being outdoors at night. It can be super simple. If you don’t have a tent, you can set up a makeshift one with heavy blankets with some poles or stakes. Grab some sleeping bags and roast some S’mores over the grill or BBQ while you stay up late telling ghost stories and playing flashlight games.
- Host an Outdoor Movie Night
Similarly, you can host an outdoor movie night with the kiddies like your very own drive-in theater. You can take a large sheet, hang it up against the fence, and use a projector to watch your movie. Don’t have a projector? No problem. You can bring out your laptop and stream movies online as you snuggle up with blankets and pillows, and, of course, don’t forget to pop some popcorn.
- Go for a Walk and Get Some Ice Cream
Celebrating the end of summer needn’t be a huge thing. Sometimes it can be as simple as walking around your neighborhood together, enjoying the warm weather and beautiful flowers while grabbing the ultimate summer treat: your favorite scoop of ice cream.
- Plan Next Summer’s Vacation
Close off this summer by looking forward to next summer. Make a plan of all the things you want to do next year that you weren’t able to do this year, including your next family summer vacation. You might even want to create a vision board to help get the kids more excited — and less disappointed — the summer is ending.
