Many internationals newly arrived in Denmark struggle with the long Danish winter.
The darkness that starts to fall in the early afternoon means that 5pm looks just like 8pm, which looks just like midnight, which looks just like 5am.
Dense, inky black sky.
During the daytime there’s a dim grey light, sometimes accompanied by a soupy fog of tiny raindrops.
It’s tough to handle - even for Danes.
Many people living through this time in Denmark describe feeling low-energy – sløj is the very descriptive Danish term. It translates directly to “sluggish”.
Others feel deeply depressed. Some eat too much, or drink too much. Some sleep all the time.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are my tips for handling these dark months, which generally stretch from November until the end of February.
Enjoy the brown charm of Danish winter nature
It’s important to get outside during the brief period of light every day. Even if it’s just for 15 minutes on your lunch hour, it really helps.
Walking in nature is wonderful this time of year if you have right clothing, in particular the right footwear. A good pair of solid boots and you can even go out when it’s icy. Don’t neglect second-hand stores in Denmark. You can usually find a lot of good winter clothes there for not very much money.
Parks, botanical gardens, forests – they all have a certain charm this time of year. A brown, winter charm, but a charm all the same.
The secret sauce: a project or a list with things you can check off
Go see how the winter animals are doing. Deer parks are good, see what the deer are up to. And most Danish zoos are open year-round. Go see how happy the polar bears are when the weather is freezing!
But my top tip for making it through the winter is a specific project, like learning how to knit, or learning how to make something out of wood, or even better, a list.
If you have a list, you can check things off as you go along, and you get a feeling of progress as the dark months drag on.
Read more at howtoliveindenmark.com.
Do you have to speak Danish to work in Denmark?
Why Danes Find Compliments So Awkward
Romance in Denmark
New Year's Eve Traditions in Denmark
How to Handle a Conflict in Denmark
Drugs in Denmark
Equality and the Electric Bike
How to Meet a Dead Viking: The Mummies of Denmark
No ice cream in July: Scenes from the Danish summer vacation period
Rich in Denmark
What Newcomers to Denmark Ask Me
Denmark and Butter: A Love Story
Randers is not a joke
The Bridges of Denmark
On returning to Denmark: Swimming in Copenhagen harbor, picking wild blackberries, and admiring Danish law and order
Ballad of the Danish Royal Teenagers
Tivoli vs Bakken: How two amusement parks show the two sides of Denmark
On the Road: Copenhagen Northwest, beyond the cherry trees
The Secret Strategy for Practicing Spoken Danish
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Concrete Pastures Podcast
The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad
Takeoff: A Points and Miles Podcast by 10xTravel
Resonate | Conversations & Life Lessons from Rancho La Puerta