When we first moved to Alaska, I was confident about getting through their famously harsh winters. I had grown up in Chicago after all. Lake effect snow, winter vortex, sleet, icy roads, below freezing winds? I had seen it all, or so I thought. Because of this, I gave no thought to following the advice of the hardcore Alaskans, the ones who have lived here for decades in the icy Interior. That first winter, I ended up paying the price! In the midst of our second winter, with several feet of snow, only a few hours of daylight, and temperatures that dipped close to negative 50 degrees, I implemented the weird tips and tricks with my own family and watched it work firsthand. Whether you live in Alaska or not, winter can have negative effects on everyone. Read on to see what some of the toughest people do to help themselves and their kids beat the winter blues!