summer come back… please
Freckle-dusted noses, melted ice cream twirling down hands, pub gardens alive again and parks aplenty with cyclists, dog-walkers, picnickers…etc. I recently saw someone post that it “wouldn’t be fair to other cities if London had clear skies and sun all year round” and I wholeheartedly agree. London in the summer is like no other, sometimes unbearably sticky and irritable, but ultimately puts a pep in Londoners’ step again. This week has been nothing short of miserable, with temperatures below zero and it bucketing down with rain.
Amidst this gloomy winter, the main idea that’s occupied my mind is that summer is only getting closer. Holidays with my girls, daylight stretching until 10pm, iced coffee, music festivals, days spent lounging in Primrose Hill or Brockwell Park are just a few of my favourite things about my summers. I want to make frozen cocktails to be enjoyed with friends. I want to lounge on the grass reading and making daisy chains. I want to watch the sunset over the city, all pink and orange. I want to take road trips to the seaside and enjoy long walks along the beach. I want to think I’ve fallen in love with a stranger on holiday when in reality it’s just the summer daze making my head go all fuzzy. I have been lucky enough to spend my summer here, in London, a busy and humid metropolis and also, Malta, where my family is from, a place of long, lethargic days where you don’t even have to try to get a tan and dips in the gorgeous sea. I love both. Always have. Summer has always and will always be my favourite time of year. But, it’s not logical or sustainable to use the dream of summer as a way to refrain from hibernating during the winter.
Despite everything I’ve just said (or rather… written), there’s plenty to adore about winter. Or, at least, ways to stay alive during the season. First things first, fluffy earmuffs and a thick scarf to keep warm outside and an electric blanket and some fuzzy socks for bedtime. Days spent in cafés and cinema dates also feel much more appropriate this time of year simply because I don’t feel as guilty for spending time indoors when it could be sunny and warm outside. I don’t know about you, but my idea of comfort food is far greater enjoyed during the cosier and colder months: sausage and creamy mash with thick onion gravy or hot chocolates mounted with whipped cream and marshmallows or sticky toffee pudding or searing tomato soup alongside hearty cheese toasties. Even though London looks greyer and like a city that’s a decrepit old soul who hasn’t known a smile in what seems like forever, we do get the sunshine… occasionally. Sunny winter days in the city are brisk but like a breath of fresh air. To keep calm and attempt to carry on, making the most out of the sunshine in the winter is a sure way to enjoy these colder months. Whether it be for a walk around your local park or walking instead of driving to get your groceries or cycling through London instead of taking the tube to get from A to B, the sun on your face can make winter worth surviving for. I always end up becoming a homebody this time of year but this winter I was determined to make the most of my time- just because it’s cold is not an excuse to stay inside and hole-up. This winter I took a weekend city break to Edinburgh with my mum, which was my first ever visit to Scotland; spent cosy evenings in wine bars with friends; attended events at art galleries and clubs; and tried new restaurants (my dad and I went to this 18-course omakase dining experience in Brixton which was beyond AMAZING). The point is, actually planning stuff to do during winter has kept me sane and I can safely say I’ve enjoyed all these fun times I’ve spent with my friends these past months. Getting dressed up and out of my house to have a fun night has made winter much more bearable.
When all is said and done, I will still be longing for summer, but winter hasn’t defeated me this year for once. I hope seasonal depression hasn’t gotten the better of you this year and maybe a few of my sentiments and tips have managed to help. Nevertheless, I am planning to spend next New Year’s Eve on the other side of the world so I can start 2026 being bathed in sunlight and somewhere tropical. But, I still hope winter will be kind to all of us this year and for all the more to come, and that you won’t spend this time pathetically pining for summer and making horrifically bad similes comparing winter to some kind of survival and a miserable person like I’ve been doing. <3
