CopenHELEN: Holidays...more like HoliNIGHTS...

So some of you may have heard….Denmark gets pretty darn dark in the wintertime. Initially I was nervous that I was going to miss my vitamin D and get a little seasonal depression, but that hasn’t happened at all which I’m thankful for! It is light outside from about 8:30am until around 2:30-3:30 pm when it gets real dark outside.

I’ve taken to playing a little game on my twitter where I tweet a picture and ask “What time is it in Copenhagen?” Most of the time if your answer is anywhere from 4pm-8am the next day you would be correct.

Denmark is actually very good at compensating for this darkness and cold. All the cafes and restaurants are really cozy with fires and hot drinks. The streets are lined with Christmas lights and decorations, and today it even snowed!! Everything is screaming holiday cheer include the Danes so the darkness hasn’t been too shabby. My only problem is I get SO tired. When it’s been dark since 3pm I find myself sitting around my room doing homework and yawning at 7pm like “Can I go to bed yet??” But I don’t let myself go to bed until 9pm most nights so I have some semblance of a normal sleeping schedule. My friend Jenny remarked the other day, “I’m incredibly well rested, but it is so hard to stay awake!” and that is the truth of it.

My Danish professor told me that the Danes really are accustomed to the dark if not need it. She said she loves the dark because she needs that more “depressing” climate as it makes her that much more excited for the light that comes in April. It helps remind you what is truly important and appreciate the light when you have it more. I mean, the Danes are the happiest people in the world so who am I to argue!

I’ll take a hot chocolate and a blanket, snuggle up and take the dark for what it’s worth!