Have you been feeling down lately? Don’t seem to have the energy/motivation to carry on with the day like you usually do? You may have Seasonal Depression, and here’s how to beat it.

1. Iceskating at Canalside

Have you ever wanted to glide on the ice like a feather letting nothing but momentum and bliss carry you across the beautiful frozen landmass? Well, you can (provided you can do what I just described, I’m not selling dreams here) if you head on over to Canalside. Located by KeyBank arena, Canalside is an excellent example of the time and effort put into reestablishing Buffalo’s waterfront as something special! So, if you’re in the mood to glide on the ice for a few hours and permit yourself to lose yourself for a bit, Canalside is a great place to do just that

2. Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Great Online Plant Sale

I’m putting on my captain’s hat because I’m about to say something very obvious: it’s very cold outside. And with what seems to be subzero weather. All the lovely plants, or any vegetation that isn’t a big old beautiful tree for that matter, is just a frozen stump or sapling waiting for it to get warmer so it can grow properly.

But what if you want some amazing plant life in your living area, but there’s just none around? Well, my friend, you know I’d never leave you in the cold (wink wink, nudge nudge). Why don’t you consider the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Garden’s 2021 Online Great Plant Sale? Now until April 15th, place your orders online and pick them up curbside at The Botanical Gardens. Plant variety ranges from trees to shrubs to tropical houseplants (subject to change by month, so make sure you check the availability of what you want). So, whether it’s a small plant to liven up the living room or a little seedling you hope to grow into a big old beautiful tree one day, rest assured that whatever you pick at the 2021 Online Great Plant Sale will hold your green thumb in place long enough for the sun to reappear and reintroduce all the lovely new vegetation outside.

3. Take a look, in a book, at Old Editions

I hate to be the crazy person, but uhh… I’ll just come out and say it, “I, Max Fisher, like reading physical books.” I love the sound of the spine breaking open as it stretches when you first crack open a new hardcover. I love the sense that I can only get richly dense information from a well-constructed book. I love that little sense of being an outsider for still loving the pages’ actual feel and texture. Allowing the rhythmic page turns to gently whisk you away. Allowing your mind to roam free in the world your transported to through what’s in your hands.

I can already see some people heading towards the door, but for those like-minded souls, do I have a treat for you! Old Editions Bookshop & Gallery, located at 954 Oliver St, North Tonawanda, NY 14120, proudly proclaims, “We’ve got it all,” and I’m rather inclined to take this boast as truth with 35,000 square feet of retail, gallery, and warehouse space, and membership in the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). This association works towards improving professional standards, promoting honorable conduct in business, and contributing in various ways to a broader appreciation of the book’s history and art. The Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA) strives to maintain the trade’s highest standards.

Old Editions has a range of book types from used and rare books to collectible cards and magazines as well as pretty much everything else your eyes may fancy. And, if you’re thinking to yourself (gee, all this great reading material sure sounds swell, but I bet it’s way out of my price range), rest assured my mild-mannered friend, Old Editions also proudly states, “We have something to suit every budget and space.” So, there’s no excuse. If you’re interested in adding to your library, definitely give it a look.

4. Place your bets on the Bills at Seneca Casinos

For the first time in my life, The Buffalo Bills are great (the more I think about it, the more I feel like I’m in a Twilight Zone episode). With that wonderfully strange energy carrying the Bills from one victory to the next, why not try parlaying some of that strange energy into some winnings by betting on the Bills to win the Super Bowl at any Seneca Niagara Resorts & Casinos location? Hey, we all know it’s been an odd year, so why not embrace it? Just remember to bet responsibly, so you don’t end up like the guy from The Twilight Zone episode “The Fever” (Google it).

Kick the Wintertime Blues Square in the Pants

I hope these ideas will make dealing with and preventing SAD a bit easier. There’s no quick fix, to be honest, but at least these fun choices will hopefully get you in a better mood and eventually lead you down a path towards happiness. And if you feel you may be dealing with full-blown depression as opposed to SAD, please contact Mental Health Association-Erie County at (716) 886- 1242). Remember, it’s not a weakness to ask for help when you need it, it’s nothing less than a strength. Happy New Year!