The official reason is to make better use of daylight, saving energy and all that jazz. But let’s be real: it’s mostly so we can sit in the garden at 9 p.m. wearing a jumper and pretending summer has arrived. It’s a national delusion we all buy into.
Do The Clocks Go Forward Or Back: Complete Guide & Key Details | TAFT
The tradition was supposedly started by a bloke called William Willett in 1907, who wanted to stop people wasting daylight in the morning. He must have been someone who hated lie-ins with a passion. Honestly, he probably also enjoyed cold showers and listening to birdsong at 5 a.m.
The alternatives are just as daft
Some countries don’t bother with this nonsense. But here, we commit to the bit. Twice a year, we collectively adjust every clock in our lives—the oven, the car, that ancient alarm clock you keep “just in case.” And every single time, someone forgets the microwave, and it glows the wrong time until November.
There’s also the annual workplace drama. On clock-change Monday, you’ll hear someone say, “I lost an hour of my life, and I want it back.” It’s a joke, but also not a joke. It’s a genuine grievance.
