Having That Gloomy-End-of-December-Blues?

In my country, the Netherlands, we have an expression to describe the days before Dec. 24th: " the dark days before Christmas " (de donkere dagen voor kerst). If you, like me, suffer from a lack of sunshine, and this makes you feel a bit down, this is a post for you!

Gloom...

Now, if this --> 
is what you like to see, and darkness, gloom, dank, wet, windy, foggy weather is what you get...

you have a problem.
Oh... I don't mind frosty weather, as long as there is a frost, no wind, and sun!
But in my part of the world (my name for my country is The Wetlands, b.t.w.!), the conditions are usually as described above.

The Wetlands near my home town (photo by Wibe Koopman)

Here you go. This is what I experience during Winter...

I am a Summer child!!!

Perhaps it's because I was born during a sweltering August (long, long ago). But I am definitely a Summer person. I adore balmy sunny weather, eating al-fresco, sitting next to my goldfish pond, staying up until midnight under the wooden roof in my garden, watching the night moths on my flowers and smelling the roses. Being able to go outside without bundling up like an Eskimo. Seeing daylight during the day (is that so much to ask?) when going to work, instead of travelling to Rotterdam at 6.40 in the dark and coming back around 18.00 in the dark. I feel like a ruddy mole!

SO: the anti-dote!

I don't know what you do to battle the gloom, but I have a very simple remedy. I evoke Summer.

Instead of this...(photo by Wibe Koopman)

I imagine this! (photo by Wibe Koopman)

And I take a glass of wine, light a rose-scented candle, put on some lovely music, and dream of Summer!