From sweatpants to snowboots: My tips to embrace the cold and beat the winter blues

I can speak about Winter Blues, because I’ve experienced a fair share of bummed out Decembers and LORD GOD WHEN WILL THIS END Januarys, even in my native California. I have canceled many-a-plan to stay inside and wear sweatpants. When the sun goes away, dang does it get harder to be enthusiastic about the day. So it was no surprise when, after moving to Montreal, my old friend SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) arrived for the snowy season.

Much to my partner’s dismay, I was skeptical at first that I could actually love winter. Sure, I thought people who “like the cold” were either robots or experiencing Stockholm Syndrome. Sure, I still have moments where I have erotic fantasies about tropical destinations, but in order to make this place work (and reduce my therapy bills), I had to make a bold choice: embrace the cold.

So for all you folks like me who read the rapidly descending morning temperatures like you’re in an A24 horror film, I’ve developed a curated list of ways to get your Vitamin D, counter depression, and work a little self-care into the most frigid months.

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEELINGS/MAKE IT REAL

When I experience SAD, I begin by announcing to myself that, yes, I am sad. Bummed out. Listless. Angry at the Winter Gods. Sounds simple, perhaps even silly, right? But studies have shown the importance of naming your emotions, and for me it has been, dare I say, liberating. When I first told myself plainly that I was depressed, suddenly a bit of that internal weight and heaviness began to lift.

EXPLORE ALL THE THERAPIES

1. Light Therapy

I yearn for Vitamin D during winter like a lost lover in a Victorian novel, as the absence of the sun really warps my perspective on life. But if I’ve learned anything in my 2 years here, it’s that Quebec residents know how to winter with enthusiasm. So I get my fix at Montreal’s LUMINO exhibit at Place Des Arts, an immersive and otherworldly outdoor light and sound exhibit open from November to March (peak SAD months) designed to bring delight. When I’m seeking a Main Character Moment, Ottawa’s Pathway of Lights reminds me how the slowness of the season engages me to take in my surroundings with greater awareness and presence. Jude Law never showed up to profess his love for me the first time I visited, but I’m still holding out hope for 2025.

2. Water Therapy 

I’m past 35, so I’ve witnessed 80% of my friends join running clubs/cults, but the idea of sweating through layers of gore-tex while comparing heart rates is about as appealing to me as listening to velcro straps on a loudspeaker. But last winter I discovered the Little Burgundy Sports Center, just a short walk from my home (and the Saintlo Montreal hostel), and their free daily lap swimming sessions.

3. Movement Therapy

If swimming is not for you, and you’d rather get exercise outside, there are numerous budget winter activities across Quebec that will get you into your body and sweating like an 80’s aerobics class. At Parc Jean Drapeau, grab your ice skates and follow the lengthy skating trail, snowshoe across the terrain, or grab your sled for some classic winter downhill adrenaline. Across the way in Ottawa, Gatineau Parc offers scenic winter hiking, with an easy-to-access shuttle from the city to the footsteps of the outdoors.

If you’d prefer to watch others do winter things, may I suggest one of Canada’s greatest pastimes: hockey. My first hockey game last year felt like a Baptism by Screaming (in a good way), but because the Bell Center’s prices aren’t for every budget, Montreal University’s very own Carabins women’s hockey squad host games for just $8 and $12 respectively. A few hours of cheering for bad ass women athletes skating the ice while downing several hot dogs will raise any person’s spirit right up.

4. Art Therapy

One of my all-time top-5 free winter activities is browsing used bookstores. The perfume of the pages, the informative staff, and the seemingly endless supply of stories surrounding you never fails to calm me. Montreal has a vibrant literary scene, and my favorite spot for quiet exploring is Encore Books in Notre Dame De Grace (NDG). A combination record store/book store, I’ve been exposed to artists and writers from there better than any algorithm could ever do. A closer walk from the hostel you’ll find Librairie Bertrand, a perfect spot for bibliophiles to grab a paperback, then walk under the snowfall to a nearby cafe for a warm, cozy drink.

If I really want to give myself a treat, I check the show listings at Cinema Beaubien. Part of a trio of independent movie theaters (Cinéma du Musée and Cinéma Du Parc, respectively), Beaubien is 100% en français, showing premiere French and Quebecois cinema. Meanwhile, Ottawa’s ByTowne Cinema is keeping indie viewing alive, showing curated classics as well as harder-to-find independent films that don’t always play at the multiplex.

5. Communal Therapy 

Some of my most favorite travel memories take place in hostels. Spending time with community is a sure-fire way to give yourself instant endorphins during tough times. Saintlo Montreal is a prime spot for community connection, something we miss deeply when we are caught in the gloom of our heads. And Saintlo knows how to winter y’all.

This season Saintlo Montreal is hosting board game nights, karaoke, pub crawls, a Mont Royal walk and trips to the Christmas market. Meanwhile, Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel is hosting weekly scenic winter walks, snowman building, pub crawls, Christmas movies and Christmas games. Saintlo staff members are all passionate travelers, and they know what it feels like to seek connection in foreign places. If you’re feeling shy, or just feeling down, that’s okay! Let one of the front desk staff know you’re looking to spend time with others and try some winter activities–they’ll do everything they can to provide you with cold-weather fun that will turn your perspective into joy. Besides, who doesn’t like building a snowman?

6. Dance Therapy

This winter, I already have my best Canadian tuxedo ready for a honky-tonk night at Spaghetti Western, Montreal’s premiere country-and western bar.  Many foreigners like myself were unaware of Quebec’s rich association with country music, and folks, country music alive and well in Montreal. There’s neon lights, cheap drinks and blue jeans as far as the eye can see. This is a space for everyone.

If a boot-scoot-boogie to some Garth Brooks ain’t your thing, Bar Ernest brings the vibes as well as free swing dancing on Tuesday evenings. After learning that dancing is one of the best ways to combat depression, I’m more than willing to put on my zoot suit for the occasion.

7. Music Therapy

Amongst my friends and family, I am known as being somewhat obsessed with sound. Finally, for those seeking a more intimate, chill experience, I recommend Sans Soleil. Inspired by the Japanese jazz kissa bars that emerged after WWII, with an emphasis on audiophile sound systems and intimate vinyl listening experiences, Sans Soleil combines Japanese cuisine and drinks with a mammoth sound system. Their vinyl collection is exquisite, and you’ll no doubt be turned onto artists from each visit.

Over in Ottawa, House of Targ combines vintage arcade machines, an unabashed 80’s aesthetic, a queer-friendly atmosphere and live music every Wednesday and Sunday. You can dance like David Byrne to indie and punk tunes, while taking sweat breaks to sample their renowned pierogi poutine (two words I truly never thought I’d see joining together). Shockingly, the pierogi really slaps.

Feeling good bonus

Although this list is not exhaustive, I highly encourage you to break out this winter and book that ticket to a colder climate like Quebec or Ontario. The urge to let the grip of SAD glue you to Netflix may be strong, but from personal experience, making travel plans during winter leads to many delights.