How do you find happiness or enjoyment in winter?

[Incogg]

I'm already struggling with the cold and rain and dark. In summer, I often drive out to the countryside for a walk or to the coast for a swim in the sea. If nothing else I sit out in the garden enjoying the sun.
But for the last few weeks I feel like I get in from work, get some tea, and am then just wishing my life away until I can go to bed.

Does anyone else relate? And if not, how do you stay cheerful in winter?

Jesus fucking Christ. I’m not back pedalling. I wasn’t nasty to anyone. It’s clear it was sarcastic. I’m properly out now.

At the end of the day if Summer lasted 6 months and Winter lasted 6 months the Summer lovers would have no problem with the Winter people complaining they don’t like Summer. But because Summer is so short Summer lovers get really pissed off about Winter people complaining that it is too hot etc. Meanwhile no Winter lovers, at least on this thread, berate Summer lovers for actually liking Summer but Summer lovers can berate Winter lovers for daring to have such an opinion?

So it really is about the duration of Winter over which the Winter lovers have no control over and the fact Summer is so short we have no business not liking it?

I think for me, if the tables were turned I would enjoy the brief change in weather. So if we had warm sunshine and lovely weather for 6-9 months then a month or so of cold and rain wouldn’t bother me. I wouldn’t start threads going - ‘oh it’s sooo cold’ I mean I don’t anyway even with the months and months of it!

But the minute it goes above about 20 degrees the moaning starts. It’s just mildly annoying, nothing more that that. I just think ‘wow it’s been cold and dreary for 7 months, can’t you you just enjoy a bit of different weather for a change. That’s it. No anger. I understand completely that in this county once we get over about 30 degrees it can be uncomfortable.I understand people have different tolerances for the heat.

But I genuinely wouldn’t mind a bit of cold and rain for a month or so. I’d quite enjoy the contrast.

Can I ask all those that love the cold winter weather

Do you have central heating?

If you do can you afford to turn it on?

Do you have ice on the inside of your bedroom windows in the morning?

Do you have your tonsils and adenoids intact?

Do you have arthritis?

Do you only enjoy winter walks because when you get back home you can look forward to being warm?

I believe that only a very few people really enjoy the winters in the UK
The rest only think they do because they can get cold but then they know when they get home they can be warm.

The grey skies, the cold and the drizzle are here for at least 35 -40 weeks of the year

Real hot weather is probably only a couple of weeks at the most.

I suggest living like you really enjoy the cold and turn off your heating, don’t light a fire, remove your tonsils and adenoids to experience the full force of cold weather behind your nose, through to your throat and getting into your lungs, then wait 30 years for the arthritis to kick in and then come back and tell me you love the cold weather

I used to love the sunshine, hot days. Then menopause hit 11 years later I still can't cope with heat my thermostat is broken 😒

@Yalta that's a bit like asking all the summer lovers if they'd still enjoy the hot weather without sunscreen, or suitable clothing, or fans, or cold drinks, or if they lived in a country where it was 50 degrees and they still had to go about their lives as normal, or if they got bitten everyday because of all the bugs.

We live in the environment we live in, with the positives and negatives that come along with that. Saying 'well, you'd hate winter if xyz happened' is totally meaningless, really.

That’s fair enough. I understand what you are saying. I think for me it has a lot to do with the light and the length of brightness aswell. I enjoy the dark (weirdo) and find solace in it. That is more important than it being cold. I could do warm and it gets dark about 6pm and have no qualms. I might say oh God it’s warm today but if it was dark earlier I would be ok. Winter is more than lack of heat for me. It’s a feeling, a mood, a sense of well being. The weather plays a part of course but the light plays an even bigger one. Hard to explain.

This.

Menopause is defo a game changer!

*margotrose · Yesterday 11:16

@Yalta that's a bit like asking all the summer lovers if they'd still enjoy the hot weather without sunscreen, or suitable clothing, or fans, or cold drinks, or if they lived in a country where it was 50 degrees and they still had to go about their lives as normal, or if they got bitten everyday because of all the bugs.

We live in the environment we live in, with the positives and negatives that come along with that. Saying 'well, you'd hate winter if xyz happened' is totally meaningless, really*

XY and Z do happen to me every time it starts to get cold.

TBH I drink coffee what ever the weather. I don’t own a fan and hottest day of the year last year I was in my element wielding a pick axe breaking up concrete. I do wear sunscreen but I wear that whether it is summer or winter and I still wear my work wear. Long trousers and t.shirt what ever the weather. Just in winter I have to wear thermals and jumpers and hoodies and I hate having so many clothes on
I do a physical job and 50 degrees outside working is bliss

But then again I was the one who on holiday when the temperature rose to 50 degrees in the shade and people were collapsing because of the heat I turned to dh and said it was the first time I had ever been truly warm in my bones and went on a run each day. I am a different person when the sky is blue and the sun is shining. I am happier and pain free. Even breathing is painful when it is cold .

I have been through the menopause and I was not affected by hot flashes (vegetarian/vegan who eats lots of soya) So never got the internal heating system so I am still as cold as ever.

I do live without central heating and have ice on the inside of the windows and I don’t get bitten by bugs. They just don’t seem to like my blood

Same here, MintGreen! It sounds stupid, but sometimes I wonder if I have reverse SAD. Summer exacerbates my body image issues and I hate the enforced "you should be outside as it's warm". Honestly, I just can't wait to get through it each year. The increased temperature only makes me feel worse

So many viruses and illnesses flying around. That is such a big downside to winter. Just picked up another cold so can’t even go for a run on this rare sunny day to cheer myself up. Can’t wait for some warmth to kill all these germs flying around. This is the main reason I dislike Winter.

At least I’m never ill and have some energy in summer. Winter feels like a battle - like pushing through treacle some days.

@SophW89 i’m always confused when people say there is pressure to be outside because it’s warm. I love summer, but I don’t feel I have to go out - I’ll happily stay in (in my warm house which isn’t costing me anything to keep warm) on a summer’s day if that’s what I fancy doing. The clothes are actually more flattering too - loose linen trousers and tunics, or maxi dresses, instead of bulky and restricting layers.

Just been from my own experiences I guess!

I LOVE winter!

I love snuggling in bed with hot water bottles!

Making up mugs of hot chocolate!

Well not only is this a zombie thread, the word “snuggle” makes me want to vomit. Stop with the snuggling.

Yeah you have to wonder about the motives/mentality of someone who bumps a months old thread, full of people describing how difficult they find winter, to post shite about snuggling and hot chocolate.

Quite. On the hottest day of the year as well. Winter has well and truly outstayed its welcome for me this year and snugglers can do one and allow me to enjoy the light if nothing else.