Did you know that Denmark has a fifth season? (Side note: in Germany, carnival season is often called “the fifth season”, which I frown upon, since I hate carnival and think it’s insufferably stupid.)
Up here in Denmark, though, the additional season is squeezed in between summer and fall in what the Danes call “sensommer” (late summer). It’s that time of year when you distinctly feel that it’s not really summer anymore, but it’s also not fall quite yet: sensommer.
Sensommer means the mornings are getting colder, you’ll notice a cool breeze here and there, and you’ll probably want to bring a light jacket when you leave the house in the mornings. But during the day, the sun is out in full swing and temperatures are more summer than fall.
It’s the time of year when everyone comes back from vacation, and life in the city begins to pick up again after the quiet of the summer months.
Sensommer is when people slowly start to realize that summer is about to be over, and therefore try to make the most of the sunny days as long as they last. The city is buzzing, with everyone enjoying a coffee or beer outside, watching people pass by.
The long, beautiful summer nights - one of my favorite aspects of summer in Denmark - are slowly getting shorter, with the sun setting around 9pm, but I still enjoy sitting on the balcony with a glass of wine, maybe wrapped up in a warm sweater and a blanket.
I’m inclined to say that sensommer is my favorite time of year, but I think what I really like best is when seasons change. I love noticing the first hints of spring after a long (and I mean LOOOOONG), cold winter, I love the first summer days, full of blazing heat, with the realization that all of summer is still ahead, I love noticing the first leaves change color, and I love that special smell in the air when you know it’s going to snow (I completely agree with Lorelai, you can smell snow).
And since sensommer is basically the incorporation of the season change, it’s not surprising that I’m totally in love with it!
What do you think about sensommer? And what are your best tips for enjoying it? Let me know in the comments below!
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