"Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get"

When it starts getting warmer and you feel the first hints of spring, life just feels easier, doesn't it? We start longing for sunny days, flowers popping up everywhere, and birds returning from their long journeys. But just when we start believing that spring is here, winter comes back. It feels like nature has tricked us. What do we really think about winter?

What do the authors say?

Leo Tolstoy uses winter as a symbol of both physical and emotional coldness. The same can be said for Fyodor Dostoevsky and Franz Kafka. In "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," Ernest Hemingway described how winter symbolizes both the loss of hope and the fragility of human dreams.

The Swedish author August Strindberg wrote: "The promises of spring are like balm on the wound of autumn." In "The River," Bruce Springsteen refers to winter as a metaphor for cold and difficult times.

What if it's the opposite?

On the other hand, Mark Twain put it like this: "Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get." That's a bit more in line with my thinking. You just have to take it as it comes.

It's amazing that those of us living in northern latitudes have four completely different seasons. We have a winter where we can take it a bit easier, spend time with our fellow humans, and enjoy the beauty of the winter landscape.

According to the UN's World Happiness Report, Finland has the happiest population in the world, with Sweden in fourth place. Denmark and Iceland are also among the top Nordic countries. Despite their long and icy winters, all these Nordic countries rank highly in terms of happiness.

And if you love skiing, you have no choice. You have to like winter. No cold, no snow, no skiing. So for me, the choice is easy. I am OK with winter as long as it's somewhat punctual and sticks to the schedule – It has its place from December through March.