Winter doesn’t have to suck

Winter in Winnipeg is morose, bone-chilling and generally a blatant assault on happiness…right?

That’s why it’s called, pejoratively, Win-ter-peg Man-it’s-cold-a, or such other stupid things. If there is one thing that unites ‘peggers, it is the four months or so we all spend battling the elements in a city that is, as I recall a high school science teacher stating matter-of-factly, the coldest place on earth that sustains a population above 600,000 people.

If there is another thing that unites us, it is a latent disapproval of living here for said four months, and an almost obsessive looking forward to spring melting and summer warmth. I once remember Brad Roberts, of Crash Test Dummies fame, being asked why so many good bands, relatively speaking, emerge from Winnipeg. His answer went along the lines of ‘there is nothing to do there in the winter except play hockey or play in a band. And not everyone is good at hockey.’

But winter in Winnipeg can be a fantastic place, even when the thermometer plunges to depressing levels.

Of course there is the disputed ‘World’s longest skating rink’ that has undergone an off year with such unpredictable weather, but is nonetheless a great way to get together with friends, exercise, or impress a date with your skating prowess (or, alternatively, encourage physical contact by pretending to fall a lot).

These days, many are flocking to catch the last days of the Festival du Voyageur, which is always a great time to enjoy music, eat heartily and transport yourself (kinda) back to the founding years of Winnipeg.

But there are also activities which, though they are not commonly practised, make for a fun winter day or night.

Winter bonfires are a great way to keep warm, spend time outside, and cover yourself in a unique smoky aroma for a night on the town.

Building a quinzhee is an economical way to build shelter for a night outside. Ditto for a snow fort, which has the double benefit of making one feel young and careless once again. Add a snowball fight to the mix for the full effect.

These are but a few options, but it’s clear that fun can be had here despite our weather. In fact, due to our weather, Winnipeggers can experience the full expression of the season in a way which many Canadians (just watch the Olympics) simply cannot.

So dress warm, bring a thermos, flask or wineskin filled with whatever keeps you warm, and get out of the home-to-motorized transportation hibernation cycle that plagues many this time of year.