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Tips for Transitioning to Colder, Shorter Days
Are you like me and do you find the transition to winter a bit of a challenge? Each year, around this time, I'm hit by a heavy dose of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – extra points to whoever came up with that acronym. Even though I know it's coming, I can never seem to dodge it. However, over time, I've discovered that embracing the change and adjusting my schedule and activities to suit the season has made a significant difference.
The shift from the long, warm days of summer to shorter, cozier evenings is a rhythm of nature we should all accept and enjoy! While the transition might bring lower energy levels for many of us, it also offers a chance to alter our routines and gear up for winter's cozy comforts.
In this blog post, I share a variety of ideas to help you navigate the transition from summer to fall to winter. Whether you're looking for ways to stay active, create a cozy home environment, or simply make the most of the changing scenery, my hope is that these suggestions will help you adjust to the colder, shorter days.
Remember, be kind to yourself during the seasonal change. Everything else slows down and hibernates so why shouldn't we? My motto for winter and fall: do less.
I've organized this list into:
Outdoor-themed ideas
Hiking and Leaf Peeping: Take advantage of the vibrant fall foliage with scenic hikes and leaf-peeping adventures. Take a drive, a canoe, a hike, a walk and just go LOOK at those pretty leaves! Bring a friend, have a photoshoot!
Camping in Cooler Climates: Extend your camping season by camping in cooler weather. You may choose to invest in some colder-weather gear, or you can book a glamping, yurt or tiny home experience. One of our favourite parks is just north of Ottawa called Poisson Blanc and they have several off-grid cabins to rent here.
Enjoy Fall Harvest: Visit local farms and orchards to pick apples, pumpkins, and other autumn produce. Around Ottawa, there are several farms, like Saunders Farm, Orleans Fruit Farm or Avonmore Berry Farm.
Explore Trails: Hit the trails for a walk, trail run, a mountain bike or a fat-bike! I've never tried fat biking (it's where you bike in the snow) but have always wanted to. If you're around Ottawa, Gatineau Park has extensive trails and gear rental for trail activities can be found here.
Photography Expeditions: Capture the changing landscapes through photography, focusing on the fall colors and wildlife. This can be around your neighbourhood or maybe somewhere you've never been before!
Bonfires and Campfires: Gather around a bonfire or campfire with friends and family, sharing stories and s’mores.
Foraging: Learn about and practice foraging for edible wild plants, mushrooms, and berries in the fall. Amazon.ca has tons of guide books on this topic. As an example, there's one on the mushrooms of Ontario here.
Community or Trail Clean-Up: Go on a walk or a hike with some gloves and a garbage bag and pick up litter. Build up that Mother Nature karma!
Visit Local, Provincial, Federal Parks: Explore national and state parks during the shoulder seasons, enjoying fewer crowds and cooler temperatures.
Plan Winter Adventures: Use the fall to plan and prepare for your winter adventures, from cozy cottage stays to cross country skiing to fat biking to ice climbing. Maybe you sign up for a lesson for an activity you’ve never tried before! Hot spots for winter getaways around Ottawa include Calabogie Peaks, Mount Tremblant and Blue Mountain Ski Resort.
Join an Outdoor Club: Join a mountaineering/outdoor club to meet new people, try new activities and go on group trips. These clubs often offer courses in wilderness first aid, avalanche safety, etc. if you're interested in learning some advanced backcountry skills. Some clubs around Ottawa include The Alpine Club of Canada or the Ottawa Outdoor Club.
Embrace Autumn Festivals: Attend fall festivals and events celebrating the season's harvest and culture. Ottawa has lots of festivals year-round. A list of events can be found here.
Go to a Scandinavian Spa: Personally, my favourite activity. Scandinavian spas are getting more popular and there a lot scattered around Ontario and Quebec, like Le Nordik, Koena, Vetta Nordic Spa, and even one on a boat in the middle of Montreal, Bota Bota.
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Indoor-themed ideas
Wardrobe Transition: Swap out your summer clothes for cozy winter attire, including warm sweaters, scarves, and boots. For me, this means taking my winter clothes out of storage bins and my summer clothes and flip-flops into storage. There's something very satisfying about this.
Cook Seasonal Recipes: It's the season of soups!! I have tried some great recipes lately including this butternut squash soup made with fresh sage and rosemary.
Dinners with Friends and Family: One of my favourite things to do in the winter months is to host friends and family for dinner. It doesn't need to be extravagant with a huge guest list. Sometimes all you need is to eat soup and drink wine over candlelight with some friends.
Volunteer and Charity: Get involved in community service, charity work, or volunteering during the holiday season.
Plan Indoor Activities: Research and plan indoor activities like museum visits, art exhibitions, or an arts and crafts night with your friends. Be sure to check out the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival which does a world tour every winter and travels to most major cities in Canada. The videos are amazing!
Holiday Gift Planning: Start brainstorming and making lists for holiday gifts for friends and family. Maybe you’ll make some by hand this year! The other year I took up cross stitching and it made for some great home-made Christmas gifts.
Cooking and Baking Workshops: Sign up for cooking or baking workshops to learn new culinary skills. My partner and I just signed up for a ravioli cooking class through Cozymeal as a date night.
Home Spa Days: Pamper yourself with at-home spa days, complete with a bath, facials, tarot card readings and relaxation. Maybe a THC infused bath-bomb, if you're into that.
Winter Sports: Join a local sports league or sign up for winter sports like curling or indoor soccer or volleyball.
Online Learning: Enroll in online courses or workshops to acquire new skills or hobbies. LinkedIn Learning has tons of professional-style courses and they offer the first month free. I've just started learning Spanish with Duolingo and I plan to start in-person classes this winter!
Holiday Craft Fairs: Attend local craft fairs and holiday markets to discover unique gifts and handmade crafts. I LOVE a good craft fair and their are tons during November and December!
Cultural Events: Check out cultural events, art exhibitions, and performances happening in your area. Ottawa has an event calendar here.
Winter Reading List: Create a reading list of books you'd like to dive into during the colder months. On my list so far are: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros and Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap.
BUY A PUPPY: Haha! Just kidding. But not really. My partner and I just became dog owners and it is so much fun I almost didn’t even notice the seasons change. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get outside every day!
What do you do to survive the transition to the shorter, colder days? Comment below!
I hope these ideas help you transition to winter with a mix of outdoor activities, cozy indoor activities and preparations for the upcoming holiday season.
Here’s to making the most of the winter months! And here's a cute puppy picture to lift your spirits if you're feeling SAD today:
Looking good Sundae! Fall is great - I love being able to wear long sleeves without sweating through my shirt. Jumping in piles of leaves is where it's at!