Here’s how to cope if you’re the only one in your friend group not going to Europe this year

Mute their stories and make your own.

So, your best friend, brother and boss are embarking on their trips to Europe this year. You’re happy for them (no, really) but every time you see an Instagram story all blue-tinged and stamped with an enviable location tag, your stomach drops. And that’s totally normal. It feels like the entirety of the Australian population will be sipping Aperols up the Mediterranean coastline while those left behind hibernate through to September.

And the fact that we’ve just emerged from the dark ages of lockdowns and travel restrictions doesn’t make it any easier. Neither does the unavoidable decrease in serotonin that comes with the sun’s departure, which can lead to winter blues or a type of depression brought on by the changing of the seasons known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

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If you suspect you may be struggling with SAD as the days get shorter and colder, it’s a good idea to chat with a health professional or someone you trust to get the support you need. If it’s simply a case of winter blues, it can usually be alleviated with lifestyle changes, like spending more time with friends and establishing healthy habits. But I’ll do you one better – here are four ways to enjoy the coming months, manifesting summer or embracing winter right here in Australia. 

Turn up the heat down under

FOMO aside, I’m guessing a huge reason why you’re feeling down about missing out on Europe is the severe lack of delicious sunshine you’ll be experiencing. Thankfully, Europe isn’t the only place that’s hot right now. And for what it’s worth, it certainly isn’t the most affordable. The northern coast of Australia reaches the high twenties and low thirties in the depths of winter, with return flights starting from around $200 with Jetstar.

In fact, winter is the best time to visit tropical North Queensland, including Townsville, Cairns and Port Douglas, given it’s both the dry season and not stinger season. You can expect comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and pleasant swimming conditions in some of the most beautiful places in the world, like the Great Barrier Reef or the Daintree Rainforest. 

The Northern Territory and Western Australia also boast blessed winter forecasts, so pack your bathers to swim beneath waterfalls and in swimming holes in Litchfield National Park near Darwin, or explore the ethereal red and blue landscape and dinosaur prints at Gantheaume Point near Broome. 

Fly to Europe in less than five hours

Now that we’ve established that there is no shortage of places you can go to capture the warmth of a Mediterranean summer in Australia, you might be looking to indulge in a quintessential European experience. Well, you can find that here too, minus the languid accents and cobblestone streets – and only a short flight away.

Margaret River, Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley and Hunter Valley offer hills braided with vineyards and freckled with rustic cellar doors to transport you to the Tuscan countryside, while the lavender fields of Provence and tulip farms of Amsterdam await in Tasmania along with Mona, mountain views, agriculture, seafood and wine to rival that sense of European sophistication.

With a bit of imagination, you can visit Spain an hour outside Cairns at Paronella Park, where Catalonian Jose Paronella built a Spanish castle and pleasure gardens among the rainforest and falls. The turquoise waters, rugged mountains and sailing escapades of the Whitsundays are enough to make Croatia’s coastline jealous. If you’re thinking a beach in Australia could never compare to Europe, Whitehaven Beach was recently rated the best in the world. 

If you can’t beat the cold, embrace it

It might surprise you to know heading to the snow is a great way to boost feel-good chemicals like vitamin D, serotonin and endorphins. Snow reflects 90 per cent of UV radiation, which is the best source of vitamin D, while the intensity and inevitable clumsiness of snow sports are likely to boost endorphins through exercise and laughter. So, while sun and head protection is crucial, you can rest assured you’ll be getting your daily dose of happiness on the slopes. 

Luckily, July and August come served with vanilla icing and a dusting of snow at some of Australia’s best ski resorts, like Thredbo, Perisher, Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Mount Buller. Swap out the scarcity mindset of missing out on Europe with an abundance mindset by skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, taking in the crisp air and curling up in cosy ski lodges à la Cameron Diaz in The Holiday (minus young Jude Law – but he’s kind of problematic anyway).

Scratch the holiday wardrobe itch with Matilda Djerf-inspired winter fits and cold girl makeup, build a snowman, sip hot chocolates and have a decadent spa day to make you forget that you could possibly want to be anywhere else in the world. 

Do as the Danish do

If a getaway isn’t feasible for you right now, you may be staring a home-bound, Aussie winter in the face. So embrace it. Early sunsets and damp concrete can be grim, but there’s something about winter that itches a different kind of seasonal scratch, like visiting the woody-scented pages of a childhood storybook. 

The Danish call it hygge, pronounced ‘hooga’, which is “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being” according to Louisa Thomsen Brits in The Book of Hygge. Louisa says it is “a practical way of creating sanctuary in the middle of very real life”, and “a cure for SAD in book form”.

Hygge is about stemming the constant flow of life by spending wholesome, unstructured time with the people you love or with yourself. Think soft blankets, crackling fires, warm pastries, cups of tea, toasty houses, glowing lamps, candlelight and jumpers that swallow you up. Take it from the Danish, who consistently rank as some of the happiest people in the world, that these soul-soothing surroundings will have you feeling just as relaxed as you would be on a beach in Greece – if not more.

Instead of focusing on what could have been this winter, remind yourself that you are alive. Take a trip in the summer, visit faraway places in your country’s backyard, have Christmas in July, or take what feels like an empty and fruitless stretch of time and spend it falling in love with the minutiae of life – the small, the slow, the unassuming.

Spread yourself out in front of the biggest window in the house or take a midday walk to get some winter sun. Watch the way the world softens in the afternoon, or how the sky blushes pink and the trees turn gold. Practice gratitude for what you have and where you are – wherever you are – and I promise, you’ll get through the next few months and they’ll be wonderful. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.

For more on the ultimate Australian winter itinerary, head here.