Winter is never the easiest time. It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s icy and snowy and windy. It puts the “season” in “seasonal affective disorder.”

And this winter, the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, is extra complicated. The end of the pandemic might be in sight, but we’re not there yet, not by a long shot. So we know that we won’t have all the things to look forward to that we once had: gatherings at home with family and friends, bundling up for a night out at a restaurant or bar, the relief of running on a treadmill at the gym while the streets outside are slick and dangerous. It’s going to be rough; some might even call it miserable.

We’d like to help you make it less miserable. Vox has brought together some of our coziest minds — and tapped the experts — to help you figure out how to navigate this winter. Join us as we roll out tips on how to pick up a new (indoor) hobby, how to bake magical bread, and how to keep your houseplants from calling it quits. We’ll be checking with people who know how to deal with small-space living and long, dark winters. We hope it’ll help make things less terrible — maybe even a little joyful.

How to keep your houseplants (and yourself) less miserable this winter, by Umair Irfan

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A Scandinavian local explains how to make it through winter, by Melinda Fakuade

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

How to get a hobby this winter, by Alanna Okun

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

How do you handle a tiny living space? We asked a Below Deck crew member, by Alex Abad-Santos

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

A patio expert explains how to make winter socializing tolerable, by Alex Abad-Santos

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

This sourdough recipe takes all day. That’s what makes it great, by Brian Resnick

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

How to find fitness motivation after this trainwreck of a year, by Alex Abad-Santos

Sarah Lawrence for Vox

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