Here’s one more thing to love about fall: we get an hour back. Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1. At 2:00 AM the clocks roll back to 1:00 AM, so before you head to bed Saturday night, set your clocks back one hour.
Your phone and computer will take care of themselves. The stove, the microwave, the car and that old clock in the hallway won’t, so don’t forget those.
How We’re Spending Our Extra Hour
- Sleep in. Honestly, this one’s at the top of the list.
- Catch the sunrise. The sun comes up an hour earlier on the clock, so it’s the easiest sunrise of the year to get out for. Grab a coffee and take a walk down by the river.
- Make a slow fall breakfast. Pumpkin pancakes, apple cider donuts, or just a big pot of coffee and nowhere to be.
- Take an early drive or hike. Get out while the leaves are still hanging on. You’ll have the trail or the back roads mostly to yourself.
- Do the twice-a-year chores. Time change weekend is a good reminder to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and swap the batteries.
Get Ready for Earlier Sunsets
The flip side is that it gets dark about an hour earlier in the evening. If you like an afternoon hike or a ride, plan to start earlier and be off the trail or the road before dark. Toss a flashlight or headlamp in the car, and if you ride, it’s a good time to pull out the reflective gear.
Something Creative to Try: Pressed Leaf Bookmarks
Here’s a fun way to use that extra hour. On your walk, pick up a few of the prettiest leaves you can find, the flatter and drier the better. Lay them between two sheets of paper inside a heavy book and stack a few more books on top. Leave them for about a week or two, then glue them onto strips of card stock or slide them into a frame. They make great bookmarks, place cards for Thanksgiving, or a little reminder of fall that lasts all winter.
What are you doing with your extra hour? Let us know in the comments. And if you’re looking for things to do around Northern Virginia this fall, check out our Fall Fun Guide.
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