It is my third winter in Canada and I think I have developed some coping mechanisms for the frigid weather. Last time it was one-degree Celsius outside, I said to the boy as we embarked on a walk, “it is warm outside today!” I am beginning to sound Canadian.
When I first moved here, winter was my biggest worry. I arrived amid a hot and humid summer that was so hot, I sometimes had heat stress from riding my bicycle down the road. I can’t tell which one I prefer – humid heat or frostbite-inducing cold. Regardless, I am surviving winter and even beginning to enjoy it. I’ve even discovered the threshold at which my face starts to feel like I’ve had botox because of the cold.
Surviving Winter
If you are new to Canada, you’ve probably read all sorts about preparing for winter. But no one ever really tells what to buy. People talk about wearing layers but don’t tell you what makes for good layering. When I first arrived, I was so scared of freezing to death at the bus stop, that I bought super thick leggings and a fleece shirt to wear under my pants to work. I looked like I had inhaled helium, and would float away with the wind at any moment. Worse still, I was extra warm indoors with the office heating on. I learnt very quickly that for winter, you need to develop two fashion personalities – your indoor self and your outdoor self. These two personalities need to be in sync, else you will have a confusing and miserable time. No one told me any of this so I feel compelled to share after trying different iterations for survival.
Surviving winter is all about the layers. You want to wear layers without looking like you are wearing layers. On a cold, perhaps snowy day:
- Start off with thin stockings.
- Then pull on your heat-tech leggings and your heat-tech under-shirt. My favourite thing about the Heat-tech range is that they have different degrees of warmth. You can buy plain heat-tech, extra-warm or ultra-warm. It is best to have at least one of each because you never know when temperatures might dip to minus 40 in this country.
- Next, your work pants. If you have extra-warm heat-tech, you can even pull off a long skirt.
- Next, a sweater. Now, I know when you are new to this kind of winter, the temptation to wear the bulkiest sweater you can find is high. But, if you want to move with ease throughout the day , you need a sweater that lets you do that, i.e., a normal not-too-thin but warm sweater. Sometimes, I wear a thin shirt, add on a light, thin but warm waist-length jacket and keep a blazer in my bag for the office. This way you can look autumn/spring stylish without feeling like a balloon.
- Your jacket is your best defence, so don’t settle for just anything. A down jacket that can withstand temperatures up to minus 20 or minus 30 is your best bet. It is also in your best interest if your jacket is long (at least knee-length), rather than waist-length. If it’s windy outside, you want to give your legs some extra protection. People often say to size up for your jacket because of everything you will wear underneath. I followed that advice and ended up with a jacket that wears me. So, my advice to anyone who asks is that if you must size up, only go one size higher.
- As you venture towards the door, grab some fuzzy socks. Yes, you have stockings on, but those are your indoor personality. Your outdoor personality would end up with cold feet.
- You need boots with some fur lining and a strong rubber sole to protect you. No, your platform sneakers might not work especially if there is a lot of snow and you have to walk. In fact, just get snow boots and you will thrive. Regardless of whether it is snowing or not, there are cute ones that still make you look good.
- Top it off with mitten gloves (they keep your hands warmer than the finger gloves) and a beanie (called a toque here) or ear muffs. On really cold days (minus 16 and below), I wear a cloth mask around my face to prevent the Botox feeling so I can smile at my colleagues when I get into work.
Et voila! You are ready to go outside. Remember to take cute pumps with you to wear in the office. You can’t keep your snow boots on (i) because you’ll be sweaty and (ii) because if it’s snowing outside, your shoes will make a mess.
Bonus point: Take your Vitamin D3 daily, else you will be warm but sad during the winter.
Enjoying Winter
Winter can be isolating. The days are short and sometimes, it’s dark and grey throughout. People are less likely to socialize during winter because the activation energy required to go anywhere or do anything is high. Again, when people talk about enjoying winter in Canada, they tend to say “stay engaged in activities” but hardly mention what activities there are. But don’t despair, I’ve got you. If you have your layers sorted, you can tackle anything outside. Here are some options:
Take a winter class: During my first winter, I registered for swimming classes with the city and used that as an opportunity to meet people. As we were all learning to swim for the first time as adults, we bonded quickly. It’s hard not to bond with the stranger that pulls you up when you can’t get up from a back float. Swimming is not the only class available. Some people learn to skate or ski.
Find a recreation center near you and invite a friend out to play: Some recreation and community centers have courts for pickle ball, badminton or other sports you can learn quickly. Invite a co-worker who lives close by, or a new arrival like you to try things out. You don’t have to know the rules as long as you are not playing with others who might be preparing for the Olympics.
Visit a ski village: You don’t even have to ski. The villages offer more than enough for people who want to walk around and enjoy the winter. My before-winter trip to Whistler in BC showed me that, and I have heard good things about Mont Tremblant in Quebec.
Invite people over for mulled apple cider and games: Mulled apple cider is my go-to when I invite friends over during winter. It is easy to make (mulled spice + apple cider) and is delicious and spicy. I’ve also discovered more board games since I moved here. The Exit Games are my favourite! They are like escape room games where you have to solve a mystery or case using clues in the game pack. You can play them alone or with friends. You can only play an Exit Game once, but there are lots of them to try and they are reasonably priced and easy to buy on Amazon. You don’t have to find to a game store. I recently played Catan and Ticket to Ride and they were so much fun. You can easily forget it’s winter when you are huddled over a game board with a couple of friends. The boy and I even put on a Fireplace on YouTube to create a cozy atmosphere.
Winter sadness where? Certainly not here.
