🌸 December, May and January: When Time Plays Matchmaker 🌿

Dive into the intriguing world of age-disparate relationships with a look at idioms representing the union of youth and experience—December, May, and January.

December, May and 🌿❄️

December, May and, or sometimes known as January and May, is a classic expression denoting a marriage or relationship between a much younger individual and a significantly older one. This idiom has roots deep into the literary and everyday soils—thank you, Geoffrey Chaucer!

Notable Origins and Uses 📚

Chaucer’s “The Merchant’s Tale” (14th Century) - In this tale, the geriatric baron named January marries the youthful May, a story ripe with metaphors and wry humor—all centered around this awkward and fascinating union. January symbolizes the frosts of old age, while May epitomizes the vivacious breath of spring.
Thomas Dekker’s Playwriting Wisdom - The expression surfaced in the early 1600s when dramatist Thomas Dekker used it adeptly in “The Seven Deadly Sins of London”: “You doe wrong to Time, enforcing May to embrace December,” he quipped, illustrating even then the cautionary note in such unions.

“Robbing the Cradle” - This cheeky idiom mirrors “December, May,” emphasizing the significant age disparity, often more cynically.
“Cougar” - A more contemporary term denoting an older woman dating a considerably younger man—Helen Mirren, anyone?
“Sugar Daddy” - Reflective of an older wealthy man dating a much younger woman, typically with financial support involved.

Synonyms and Contrast 🍂🌸

Synonyms: May-December Relationship, Intergenerational Romance
Antonyms: Age-Matched Couple, Similar-Age Relationship

Fun Facts and Witty Quotes ✨

Witty Quote: “Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind.” — Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Humorous Quote: “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” — Dr. Seuss (Because even with an age gap, love makes reality wonderful and sleepless!)

Bibliophile Corner 📖

If you’re keen to explore this concept further, you might enjoy the following:

Books:
- “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks (a moving love story stretching across ages)
- “The Merchant’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Movies:
- Harold and Maude - A quirky romance between a young man and an elderly woman.
- The Graduate - A hilarious but complex look at an older-woman-younger-man romance.

Quiz Time! 🤓

### Which author introduced January and May in a famed tale? - [ ] William Shakespeare - [x] Geoffrey Chaucer - [ ] Charles Dickens - [ ] Jane Austen > **Explanation:** Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Merchant's Tale" features this interplay of youthful May and old January describing such a match. ### True or False: "Robbing the Cradle" only refers to men dating younger women. - [ ] True - [x] False > **Explanation:** “Robbing the Cradle” applies regardless of gender context—if someone's significantly older, they may be accused of this.

Inspired to contemplate the intricate dance of time and love? Let these tales remind you that love’s essence transcends the ticking of any age-old clock.

Best wishes, C. C. Cleverly