It starts with that sense of joie de vivre –  and that’s not even for those who can’t call it a three day weekend. 

Many, particularly in retail, industrial and service industries like hospitality, don’t get extra time off from the slog of work.

But you can still see it, feel it. 

It’s in the air, and perhaps to some extent it’s the practical and physical turn of the season.

Around the north it often comes with the first flush of summer-like conditions. There’s a definite tinge of sunshiny happiness.

The heat ratchets up, the boats go out, the swimmers come on, the fishing lines are thrown in. And the barbie takes on a new seasoned summery smokiness.

The big outdoors welcomes us, like Easter and the festive season, often bringing families back together and friends in reunion.

And we reach for the shorts, the T-shirts and sandals and stash the winter woolies to the back of the wardrobe.

It brings a renewed outlook and a refreshed mental optimism that things will get better and our lives will assume a fillip of enthusiasm.

Or does it also have something to do with the fact it’s the big grand final footy weekend, and we’re all at the end of the season revved up for the opposing sides and happy to be sharing, somehow.

And talking about revved up, the long weekend in October traditionally sees plenty of lead foots on the roads too.

Getting someplace is somehow urgent and necessitates going faster. 

Last year at this time, we reported how amazed police still were at the results of the double demerit weekend. People still – intoned one serious sergeant of police – risked fines, demerits, their licences, and therefore their livelihoods, to speed.

Let’s hope when the policing referees add up the scores from this weekend, more of us are winners, than losers.

It will add more happiness to the hordes out there still enjoying their weekend.