What good is the warmth of summer, John Steinbeck once mused, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness? Despite the flavoring the frigid months provide, the winter season certainly is something of an endurance event for families. Days are short, nights are long, and, if you’re not creative, it can be difficult to find ways to fend off the monotony of winter.

One remedy: Starting a cold-weather tradition that gives you all something to get psyched about, plan for, and look back on once the season is over. It’s wonderful how something as simple as, say, an annual family scavenger hunt or day of ice-lantern carving can sustain us, provide some necessary warmth when winter arrives, and keep the joy of the holidays going strong into the coldest part of the year.