Tõnis Oja: three months of still-life

Photo: LIIS TREIMANN/PM/SCANPIX BALTICS

Once upon a time, (gown up) students asked a British language teacher if he also taught during summer. The answer was no. That would be futile, as nothing happens in Estonia over these three months, replied the Brit.

According to the man with teaching experience amongst many nations, there actually is yet another country to be found in the world (Czech Republic) where all business falls into deep summer slumber.

The foreigner nailed it: with us, the summer vacations period commences in June already, lasting till the end of August. Excepting some enterprises – probably related to tourism and retailing – total still-life rules for three months long, normal business activity only resuming with the final week of August as parents get busy searching for school stuff for kids.   

To the best of my understanding, other countries do have their holiday seasons – but these are much shorter. In the USA, it usually kicks off on July 4^th i.e. Independence Day and lasts for two weeks. In Finland and other Scandinavian nations, July is the main month of rest. In the rest of Europe, it is August.

Why could we not have a shorter and more concentrated vacation season, cutting the still-life from three months to one? I believe this could indeed add a per cent or two to our gross domestic product.

The other idea, always hitting me in summers and especially at ends of Augusts, is that for most people and companies, the new cycle starts not in New Year, but rather on September 1^st. What, let me ask, makes January 1^st differ from December 31^st? Headache, perhaps; maybe emptiness of the wallet. But that’ll be all.

But how does September 1^st stand out after August 31^st? In many families, the order of life foundationally shifts, as the kindergarten kids goes to school, basic school pupil starts attending Gymnasium, the Gymnasium graduate heads off for a university. Lots of rearrangements occur in daily routine, for many the home-school-office tours begin.

And, indeed, in autumn major changes occur at work. People are rested, they show up with fresh ideas and opinions. Companies launch new projects, campaigns, other endeavours.

Some scarce exceptions aside, our financial years mainly correspond to calendar years. Likewise in Europe. In USA, however, there often is a difference. For instance, financial years of larger retail chains wind up in January – for the obvious reason, perhaps, that profits tend to only come with Christmas sales.

I have a feeling that, considering the cyclicality, in many areas of the economy, we would be better off counting financial years from September.