Romanticizing the Winter
Written By Khristin Guardado
Photography By Molly Prichett
Modeled By Breysen Cooper, Daisy McDonald, Ellen Anderson, Mana Kanda, & Natalie Kallen
There’s nothing like grabbing a warm cup of hot chocolate from your favorite coffee shop, cozying up on the couch to watch your favorite holiday movie with your favorite people, and seeing the snow lightly fall over your house, coating the street in a blanket of white. Later, you’ll don your winter coats and drive past houses gleaming in lights and holiday cheer. There’s nothing like romanticizing the winter.
Once October ends and Mariah Carey defrosts, it’s all about the holidays from then on. People begin to buy flight tickets, plan get-togethers, and pick new wrapping paper for the season. The instantaneous spread of joy idealizes the winter and feeds into the marketing of the winter holidays.
As we ring in the holiday season and enjoy extra time spent with our friends and families, we dreadfully accept the cold weather and the end of sunny days that used to keep our moods up. Daylight saving time ends during this season, causing the days to feel shorter. With an earlier sunset and colder weather, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), comes into effect. SAD is a type of depression that occurs with the change of seasons, which stops people from seeing the beauty in winter. According to Boston University, about 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal depression. The winter season shows how people struggle with their mental health and keeping a positive mindset during a somber time.
The winter season is a very busy time for many of us. We all have our struggles during the holidays whether it’s family, money, schoolwork, or other factors. College students have finals and countless responsibilities to worry about, people have gifts to buy and dinners to host, and families who might not be able to afford a nice holiday are swarmed by the marketed expectation to be happy and joyful. Even when you wish to see the beauty in winter, sometimes it’s difficult to do so and can be overwhelming. The holidays can be hard to enjoy when the weather and life’s responsibilities impact your mood.
In spite of that, there are ways to reclaim and enjoy the winter season during tough times. Romanticizing the winter season is a way to escape the gloominess of the cold and grey season. When life is full of struggles, the moments we spend baking and decorating cookies, hosting game nights, and planning date nights with friends can get one out of dreading winter. Relaxing in a bubble bath, making a nice meal, and wrapping yourself in countless blankets while reading a book are other ways to enjoy the winter. Finding the little things that make you happy can easily change your perspective of how gloomy the winter can be.
No matter what’s keeping you down, remembering that your peace is valuable can allow you to enjoy the winter in your way. Admire the beauty of your city covered by a grey sky. Wear the winter clothes that express your style and identity. Watch all the holiday movies you love while drinking hot chocolate and making holiday treats with friends. Make it to the final stretch with your personal goals. Enjoy the moments with your family and friends. Feel your emotions and take care of yourself. It’s all a part of romanticizing the winter.