Leaning In to Winter

At the beginning of the winter I read an article about a Norwegian town north of the the Arctic circle where (to researchers' great surprise) people looked forward to winter, and seasonal affective disorder was almost nonexistent.  And so I thought--we could try that--we could try to love winter.

On the cozying front we got down comforters for all of the beds (lucked out on craigslist there). I kept a good stock of cocoa and tea.  Knitting filled my lap as little fair isle hats and sweaters grew into finished garments.  We hosted a Midwinter Game Night (a bit of a play on our last name), getting together with friends to play board games and card games.  The little girls and I read Laura Ingals Wilder's On the Banks of Plum Creek, Around the World in 80 Day and the first Harry Potter (next up is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz).


When it came to outdoor winter fun, opportunities abounded in Minnesota.  Ariadne's preschool took full advantage of the snow.  Working with other classes, the kids made a quinzee village, all perfectly proportioned for 3-5 year olds.  One class made mounds of snow, another hollowed them out, both added colorful ice decorations added to them for whimsey and fun.  All played it the miniature shelters.



Aria came home in December, excited about kick sledding.  In February, her class invited all the families to a kick sledding party.  Pushing off with one foot then gliding over the ice or snow with both feet on the runners, the kick sleds work similarly to dog sleds.  Kids and even adults sat on the front seat while intrepid kick sledders powered the sleds with strong kicks. All the preschoolers were expert at this activity by the time of the party.  The farm pond provided a nice open level surface, allowing for long runs and glides.  We kept warm despite the single digit temps.



In January, Charles and I were lucky enough to go up to the North Shore with a bunch of friends.  It was FREEZING--but, we enjoyed each other's company, lots of board games and a few very short outings.  The photo at the top of the post is from a stretch of Lake Superior's North Shore.



Ice skating entered out lives last winter, when there was precious little snow for sledding.  Large fast flakes of snow dropped a foot of powder in our neighborhood, closing schools and canceling plans across the city, making a little pocket of time to skate on the neighborhood rink with a friend.  By the end of the season, we were anxious to squeeze in just one more trip.  The picture below was taken the last day of the skating season at Centennial Lakes Park.



I took Nova and Solomon downhill skiing for the first time this winter. –≠≠≠ Last year I went downhill skiing for the first time in 15 years.  I had a great time (and didn't even fall down once).  I realized that I never would have tried it if I hadn't learned the basics as a kid.  Which made me want to give my kids the chance to get a taste of the sport before it seemed too intimidation.  At 14 and 11, Solomon and Nova were certainly old enough to give it a go. We went through a short ski school at a nearby hill.  A delightful ski instructor (and retired Psychology professor) named Rodger helped us get off to a good start.  By lunch time they had both graduated to chair lifts and longer slopes.


Nova is wearing her great grandmother's ski jacket and pants--GG Rose thought they might fit and gave them to her during our fall visit.

Charles and I went on the Luminary Loppet for one of our dates this winter, enjoying fire, ice, and cross country skiing.  Maybe I will get back to the 10k race one of these winters, but for now, the slow paced trails lit with candles glowing through ice make a nice outing.  Detours through fairy ice sculptures, fire dancers, and cocoa pit stops are tradition by this point.  Newer additions like rock bands, a beer garden, and allowing walkers, dogs, and snowshoers  on the course added a more lively (I might even say chaotic) atmosphere to the event.  Growing pains...they'll work it out.



Spotting tracks in snow and animals through the bare trees are another delight of winter.  How many deer can you see?  (I think there are two in the picture, but Nova sees three.)  Standing around for twenty minutes or so I eventually saw nine deer--though I couldn't get them all in a single photo.




Note on the affordability of Leaning Into Winter
I am aware that this might sound like pricey way to enjoy winter.  All of these things can be expensive, but they don't need to be.  Here's a breakdown on how we controlled costs.

Skating: I bought used skates in October and looked for rinks that were free (and also had cheap rentals for growing feet).  Skating fees in our area vary tremendously.

Skiing: We took advantage of a special Homeschool Ski Day at our local hill that cut the cost in half (or more).  Also, I did not bring all the kids.  If you are not a homeschooler, there are other promotions to be found.  In the past we've gotten in on Team Sports Day discounts and Half Day/ Twilight tickets (we usually couldn't keep going all day anyway).

For the Luminary Loppet, I made sure to get the early bird discount by signing up in November.  We decided to make it a date rather than a family outing, and got our equipment through an inexpensive (and little known) rental place run by college students.

Weekend Up North: There is power in numbers!  Going as a group we were able to split the cost of a house with several other adults, driving the cost down below single accommodations.  The house let us make our own meals, saving on cost.  We took turns cooking for each other, which saved on time (and was fun).  The resort's complimentary snow shoes and cross country skis helped hold down the cost too.  Carpooling to our destination kept gas costs low.  Finally, we chose our dates to take advantage of a promotional deal,  giving us our third night free. (Also, we haven't participated every year due partly to cost. )

Down comforters: Craigslist was key--otherwise we would have been priced out.

Books: Used book shops and the library.

Knitting: I knit small things, found free patterns on Ravelry, and repeated the same pattern when I could (so as to use up left over yarn and avoid buying new needles).

Hikes: We are lucky to have a free nature center nearby.

Thermostat: Last but not least, we kept the heat down.  The down comforters helped with this significantly, as did wool socks and sweaters.