Media Diet: Cold Weather Travel
What to read, watch, and listen to embrace winter
I’ve always been a winter sympathizer. As a season, I think it’s unfairly maligned and overshadowed by the holiday hype. And really is there anything better than freshly fallen, sparkly snow?
However, seasonal depression has absolutely wrecked me since I started working remotely (and I’m currently battling the flu). To combat the lack of vitamin D and reignite my goodwill for the winter season, I’ve made it a point to try to enjoy outdoor seasonal hobbies (skiing and snowshoeing as weather allows) and book cold-weather trips. This gives you something to look forward to in the long dark months, but you aren’t trying to “escape.”
If you’re ready to stop struggling through winter and try to embrace a more positive seasonal outlook, this list of reading, watching, and listening resources will put you in the right frame of mind. Enjoy ☃️.
Read
Spinning Silver
With a knack for turning silver into gold and telling white lies, our protagonist is drawn into an icy fae realm to face a formidable challenge. Inspired by Eastern European folk tales, this atmosphere will chill you to the bone.
Beartown
Following a small town in Sweden’s obsession with the local junior hockey team, this book checks all the winter atmosphere marks. Consider checking the content warnings on this one. It will leave you heartbroken.
The Writing Retreat
For my thriller fans, this novel delivers claustrophobic, snowed-in vibes. Things heat up when a group of aspiring writers fight for a coveted publishing deal from a reclusive feminist horror author. Cut-throat rivalry, best friends turned enemies, a haunted mansion—this one has it all.
Watch
Gilmore Girls (Netflix)
I know, I recommended Gilmore Girls in my fall road trip media diet, but I can’t help that this show has some of the best seasonal episodes. “Love and War and Snow” (season 1, episode 8) will have you properly romanticizing the season, and it’s the episode that gave us the iconic line “I smell snow.”
Snow Day (Amazon Prime)
A group of kids band together to sabotage the snow plow and keep school closed for one more snow day. I have no idea if this movie still holds up, so this is a pure nostalgia pick. But the cast is stacked with Chevy Chase, Jean Smart, Josh Peck, and Chris Elliot.
House of Gucci (For rent on Apple TV or Amazon Prime)
I wouldn’t usually recommend this movie, but if you need winter outfit/après ski inspiration, this is it. Just try to stop yourself from buying a fur hat.
Listen
A crackling fire and softly swirling snow outside a cabin window—that’s the vibe of this month’s playlist. Tune in to set the tone for your winter travels.
Are you a winter lover yet? I’ll try my hardest to convince you all month long. Most of January’s newsletters will be dedicated to Finland—one of my favorite cold-weather destinations. Grab your warmest wool sweater and meet me in the Nordics next week.