Moving to Amsterdam has certainly put the BRRRR! in the –ber months. Though it’s technically not winter yet, it sure seems that way to me—mainly because the sun sets earlier and earlier each day, and it gets dark (I mean really dark) so fast.

Sunset at 4 o’clock in the afternoon

Combine the darkness with temperatures ranging from 0-5ºC (maybe 8º if you’re lucky) and the Twilight Zone-ish fog that’s settled on the city lately, and nights can become crippling.

Fog in the Canal Belt

Luckily, the Dutch are the masters of gezelligheid, one of those hard-to-translate words (like our kilig). Gezelligheid roughly translates to a warm, quaint, or cozy nice atmosphere; my most basic understanding of the adjective gezellig is “cozy.” Making things gezellig is a national expertise, and for good reason. My crash course on gezellig (learn it fast or freeze!) has taught me four things that are essential for coping with the long, cold, dark nights.

Let there be light! At home, harsh white fluorescent bulbs are a no-no. Yellow light from lamps (not overhead lights) makes everything feel—say it with me—gezellig. For maximum coziness, light those candles and enjoy the glow.

Candlelight: not just for special occasions, but for making every evening special.

Fun with friends. Togetherness and belonging is another aspect of the word gezellig. For this, nothing beats a house party at a friend’s (or your own) home. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; the best times can come from an evening of talk and laughter over a simple potluck dinner and a few glasses of wine…  all by candlelight, of course. P.S. It’s cheaper than eating out!

Wine and candlelight

Furry friends. Having a pet is the PC way to enjoy fur and stay on PETA’s good side. A soft, furry pet shares your interest in staying warm; cuddle time is how they repay you for board and lodging. My cat Rogue curls up in my lap and makes a great fur “blanket” for TV time. At night, she sleeps on my feet and keeps my toes toasty warm.

My blanket purrs. What does yours do?

Fire, woman. In the age of modern heating, functional fireplaces are rare. But they do exist—so when you find one, enjoy it!

Pleasant surprise: a fireplace in our hotel room on a recent trip to Turkey

A recent ladies’ night in with friends went way up on the gezellig meter when our gracious hostess lit a fire in her living room. Cocktails, girly chat and a warm fire… if every winter night could be like this, I’d be all set!

Freelance writer Deepa Paul-Plazo lives in Amsterdam with her husband and cat. She travels, dabbles in creative pursuits, and swings wildly between having way too much and not enough free time. Follow her Amsterdam adventures on her blog (currystrumpet.blogspot.com) or on Twitter (@currystrumpet).