Embracing the cold - socializing outside in winter

woodstock

woodstock

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Hi everyone

I just got back from Vienna, and last year I spent the week of Thanksgiving in Belgium (Brugges/Brussels). In addition to the wonderful Xmas markets, I was struck by how unfazed people seemed to be about the cold. Not that it was bitterly cold yet - but high 30s at night is cold.

Unless I am missing something (and I well might be, living in exurban hell), it seems that here in the US, in winter, when you find people outside they are doing something active. Whether it be ice skating or skiing, or simply walking from place to place, they are moving.

I don't recall seeing a lot of outdoor socializing - by this I mean gathering around an outdoor venue to buy gluhwein, or wine, or beer, or what have you, and then standing or sitting outside with friends to imbibe and talk and not just for a few minutes. I saw a lot of this in Austria and not just Xmas markets. It seemed like an institution - a number of street corners and pedestrian areas had what appeared to be a bar of sorts set up and people were congregating and having a great time. It seemed as active as any regular bar scene. I even remember in London two years ago, dead of winter, seeing a number of people sitting at outdoor cafe tables (say, a coffee shop) and having their coffee outside with friends even though it was mid-30s tops.

I know there are Xmas markets in some cities (NYC for one) but is there something I'm missing about my home country? I thought it was delightful (not that you'd find me outside for hours standing around drinking, mind you) and I wondered if there are cities here in the US where it's more common.

Maybe it's more usual in places that already have an active outdoor winter sports scene? David?
 
I imagine folks are a lot more inured to cold weather, since many walk extensively and take public transportation. It also doesn't get as cold in Belgium or England as it does in many places in the US.
 
European cities tend to have fewer cars and more public transit, same as New York. Boston is a close second, but all other US cities I've seen (even DC) have a bigger reliance on cars.

I believe the phenomenon of outdoor socializing in the cold is more prevalent in the cities where people use public transit. Growing up in NYC, it was common for us to socialize out in the cold. Now in Williamsport? I walk out of my house into my truck and try to get it warmed up as fast as possible - it's frickin' cold out!
 
I was thinking about that, actually, and also that it gets dark quite a bit earlier, too, and people just decide to deal with it instead of hibernating. I think DC has almost an hour more evening daylight than Vienna, for instance. Sunset at 4 pm right now!
 
I guess it comes down to "no bad weather, only bad clothing". I was wondering if it was more of a cultural thing... I don't know of many Xmas markets... NYC for sure... In Germany even the smaller villages have Xmas markets. Do we have that here?
 
Hot or cold the best place to socialize is either in the hangar or the pilot lounge. We only need to go outside to examine planes parked in transient parking. Dave
 
Once I get the last of that firewood cut in my backyard, I'll be hibernating 'til spring!
I have friends who want me to go skiing with them.
Yeah, right.
You want me to go out and freeze my ass off sliding down a hill with two boards strapped to my feet.....and no brakes?
No thanks! :rofl:
...and standing on a cold corner or walking around an outdoor market sounds just about as inviting.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I believe the phenomenon of outdoor socializing in the cold is more prevalent in the cities where people use public transit. Growing up in NYC, it was common for us to socialize out in the cold. Now in Williamsport? I walk out of my house into my truck and try to get it warmed up as fast as possible - it's frickin' cold out!
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I'll have to admit that the last couple of years I have hibernated in the winter, with the exception of our two weeks in Mexico in February every year. However, I used to hunt and fish a lot. Two activities in particular involved out door socializing. Ice fishing and coyote hunting. We spent a lot of time out on the ice drinking beer and staring down into a hole in the ice. I also remember sitting on the tailgate of a pickup in ten degree weather and drinking coffee before and after we skinned out a couple of yotes.
 
Oh yeah, I forgot to add....
Anyone who'd sit around a hole in the ice, fishing, has rocks in their head! :tongue:

P.S. Max, Kelly's Heroes is one of my favorite movies and Donald Sutherland was great as Oddball! :cornut:
 
Maxmosbey said:
I'll have to admit that the last couple of years I have hibernated in the winter, with the exception of our two weeks in Mexico in February every year. However, I used to hunt and fish a lot. Two activities in particular involved out door socializing. Ice fishing and coyote hunting. We spent a lot of time out on the ice drinking beer and staring down into a hole in the ice. I also remember sitting on the tailgate of a pickup in ten degree weather and drinking coffee before and after we skinned out a couple of yotes.
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This is a disqualifier from the original statement:

woodstock said:
Unless I am missing something (and I well might be, living in exurban hell), it seems that here in the US, in winter, when you find people outside they are doing something active. Whether it be ice skating or skiing, or simply walking from place to place, they are moving.

I don't recall seeing a lot of outdoor socializing - by this I mean gathering around an outdoor venue to buy gluhwein, or wine, or beer, or what have you, and then standing or sitting outside with friends to imbibe and talk and not just for a few minutes. I saw a lot of this in Austria and not just Xmas markets.
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OffCenter said:
P.S. Max, Kelly's Heroes is one of my favorite movies and Donald Sutherland was great as Oddball! :cornut:
Click to expand...


"Have a little faith baby, have a little faith."
Oddball to Moriarity - Kelly's Heroes.


I think there is a cultural thing to it also. Europeans tend to really enjoy gathering and enjoying life together. I think it also depends where you go in the U.S. The northeast isn't that friendly anyway, but if you go south or west you see more of the outdoor stuff. When I lived in Colorado I noticed many of the places I went had outdoor seating areas that were used in the winter. They'd usually have those gas heaters going so it wasn't that cold.
 
woodstock said:
I know there are Xmas markets in some cities (NYC for one) but is there something I'm missing about my home country? I thought it was delightful (not that you'd find me outside for hours standing around drinking, mind you) and I wondered if there are cities here in the US where it's more common.
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This is not quite the US but it is on this continent. We went to this area to eat a couple weeks ago and I was surprised to see an outdoor market when it was well below freezing.

http://www.byward-market.com/en/about/outdoor-vending.htm

Outdoor vendors are an integral part of the ByWard Market experience. Unlike some other market experiences, you'll find ByWard Market vendors outside, no matter the weather, 363 days per year (closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day)!
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I've lived in the Midwest for 37 years. We always see double digits below zero in the winter.

When it's cold outside I don't mind doing some work to keep warm. However, if you stand around and flap your gums, you are going to get cold unless you have some very extreme cold weather gear on.

Vienna doesn't see -30°F very often I'd bet.
 
Jack Spectre said:
Vienna doesn't see -30°F very often I'd bet.
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Heck, this Vienna doesn't even need it any lower than 32°F :D

viennasausage.jpg
 
The way that EU's currency woes are mounting, they may all have to get used to colder climes. Like no heat in some of the poorer countries over there. :hairraise:
 
I rather think that it is a cultural thing - Whatever the locals are used to. Tolerance to cold (or heat) is something that can be learned. You do get used to a different climate over time - and it becomes normal to you. I recall reading that the early European visitors were amazed at the natives' indifference to cold in Tierra del Fuego (they went about naked or nearly so in spite of the temperature).

Dave
 
One winter delight involving outside socializing we had when I lived in the gwn 25 years ago was the Friday HotTub parties. We could rent a hot tub for an evening, they would back it into the carport, some place shielded from the wind, fill it and get it warming up. Someone would get munchies and drinks, lots of adult drinks.
We worked like maniacs back then in the bitterly freezing weather and there was nothing like immersing into the hot tub with the gang at the end of a long week. Being outside did not matter as long as you didnt stray too far from the hottub!
 
cessna182b said:
I rather think that it is a cultural thing - Whatever the locals are used to. Tolerance to cold (or heat) is something that can be learned. You do get used to a different climate over time - and it becomes normal to you.
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Very true and it doesn't take that long to get used to the climate. I lived/worked in subtropical areas for about 6 months after living two years on the Gulf Coast. I needed a jacket when I moved from India to Denver in mid-summer.

Then I lived in Montana for a year-and-a-half and when I moved back to Denver in mid-summer I was sweating like a stuck pig.

I guess the moral of the story is to never move away from Denver...
 
Clark1961 said:
Then I lived in Montana for a year-and-a-half and when I moved back to Denver in mid-summer I was sweating like a stuck pig.
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So I guess that's why you decided to have a hangar BBQ in the snow. :D
 
cessna182b said:
I rather think that it is a cultural thing - Whatever the locals are used to. Tolerance to cold (or heat) is something that can be learned. You do get used to a different climate over time - and it becomes normal to you. I recall reading that the early European visitors were amazed at the natives' indifference to cold in Tierra del Fuego (they went about naked or nearly so in spite of the temperature).

Dave
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People can adapt to local climate fairly quickly. Buy you can't build tolerance to thirty below, you just die.
 
I rather think that it is a cultural thing - Whatever the locals are used to. Tolerance to cold (or heat) is something that can be learned. You do get used to a different climate over time - and it becomes normal to you.
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Very true. One of the biggest factors that cause people to hide away indoors all the time is the excessive use of air conditioning and heating systems that are set to a mostly fixed near ideal temperature year round which keeps people from adapting to their environment.

This summer averaged about 95F on the road and I powered up the air conditioner about 4-5 times total when it got over 100F just to knock the heat down a bit after everything was closed up all day while I was out exploring. 95F was nothing. Right now it's 52F inside my motorhome. Declimatized people would freeze to death like this (no wonder no one ever comes to visit me hahaha) however it doesn't bother me in the least because I'm adapated to being outdoors all the time. It'll be in the low 40's in here by morning. No big deal.

It's all about adaptation.


Clark1961 said:
I guess the moral of the story is to never move away from Denver...
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Central/Northern Arizona in the summer is way more tolerable than Denver in the summer. Cities are blast furnaces with all the concrete and lack of vegetation and dirt.
 
I noticed that too when I lived in Germany. The Europeans would walk around in just a light jacket in frigid temperatures and act like they were not cold while I'd be shaking.

My theory is that they watch every single penny. A lot of people don't even turn on the lights in a dark house during the day as long as they can make their way around without it. I think that a lot don't use the heat in their homes as much as North Americans do so, they just get acclimated to the cold by being cheap.

When you use public transport then you are going to be spending a lot more time out in the elements as well.
 
fgcason said:
Very true. One of the biggest factors that cause people to hide away indoors all the time is the excessive use of air conditioning and heating systems that are set to a mostly fixed near ideal temperature year round which keeps people from adapting to their environment.
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Bingo.
 
Clark1961 said:
Very true and it doesn't take that long to get used to the climate. I lived/worked in subtropical areas for about 6 months after living two years on the Gulf Coast. I needed a jacket when I moved from India to Denver in mid-summer.

Then I lived in Montana for a year-and-a-half and when I moved back to Denver in mid-summer I was sweating like a stuck pig.

I guess the moral of the story is to never move away from Denver...
Click to expand...


Being from the east coast, I found Denver summers very mild. I love the climate there year round. Even when it gets hot the dry climate makes it feel less uncomfortable. Temps only got really bad a few weeks in July, then moderated again.
 
Ummmm..."socialize" in the cold? As in just stand around? No thanks. Just goes to show that some Euro's are idiots! :p
 
This is how we socialize at the farm when it's cold.
 

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Anthony said:
Being from the east coast, I found Denver summers very mild. I love the climate there year round. Even when it gets hot the dry climate makes it feel less uncomfortable. Temps only got really bad a few weeks in July, then moderated again.
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People can't believe that I don't have air conditioning in my house. There are only about two weeks out of the year that I would even think about using it and it never seemed worth it.
 
Everskyward said:
People can't believe that I don't have air conditioning in my house. There are only about two weeks out of the year that I would even think about using it and it never seemed worth it.
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I didn't have AC in my house either, and I lived in Lone Tree, not up in the foothills. I had a small window unit for my bedroom for those few weeks in July. Some people have those swamp devices. Never saw one though.

I remember one Fall it started snowing when I was cutting my lawn. The sun was out too, then it warmed up nicely. I love the weather in CO. :D
 
Everskyward said:
People can't believe that I don't have air conditioning in my house. There are only about two weeks out of the year that I would even think about using it and it never seemed worth it.
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Anthony said:
I didn't have AC in my house either, and I lived in Lone Tree, not up in the foothills. I had a small window unit for my bedroom for those few weeks in July. Some people have those swamp devices. Never saw one though.

I remember one Fall it started snowing when I was cutting my lawn. The sun was out too, then it warmed up nicely. I love the weather in CO. :D
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We didn't have AC in our house west of Littleton, either. Didn't need it. A whole house fan cooled the place down overnight and the insulation kept it comfortable during the day. I know my electric bill was much less than my neighbor's during the summer (he had AC). And my gas bill was less than anyone's from April into October. Just an availability charge as the usage was 0. Solar hot water worked like gangbusters. :D
 
The Europeans have been around much longer, and have sustained a proportionally higher level of inbreeding as a result. Decreased mental awareness is a long-recognized symptom of this practice, and further proven by their belief that socialism works.

It's not unusual for
tdager said:
Ummmm..."socialize" in the cold? As in just stand around? No thanks. Just goes to show that some Euro's are idiots! :p
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Everskyward said:
People can't believe that I don't have air conditioning in my house. There are only about two weeks out of the year that I would even think about using it and it never seemed worth it.
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Tree that in Georgia in the summer. Good luck!
 
tdager said:
Tree that in Georgia in the summer. Good luck!
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I grew up in a house in NJ that didn't have AC. My parents had a window unit in their bedroom but there was nothing in mine. Granted NJ is not quite as hot as Atlanta, but I don't think AC became a standard in houses until about the 1970s. I know that none of my schools were air conditioned.
 
Neither home nor schools were airconditioned when I was small. Oklahoma and Kansas in the 60's into the 70's. Okay, I was getting fairly tall toward the end of that time period. Never started getting "big" until the 90's though. :D
 
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