Winter Season Resources

A traditional Japanese winter landscape painting showing snow-covered houses, trees, and mountains. Two women are walking along a path, one with a red umbrella and the other carrying a large bundle on her back.

Bring the colder months alive with our Winter History Resources!

Explore snowy landscapes, winter festivals, and global traditions through free videos and classroom resources.

Light in the Darkness

Surviving the Cold

Winter Nature and Symbolism

Seasons and Cycles of Life

Look at Autumn Resources . . .

Look at Spring Resources . . .

(coming soon)

Seasons and Cycles of Life

A medieval illustration divided into three sections: the top shows a starry sky with an astrological chart and zodiac signs; the middle depicts a castle with a blue sky background; the bottom features hunters with dogs in a forest, actively hunting, with the castle in the background.

VIDEO: December Calendar Page in the Tres Riches Heures

December

This manuscript page shows peasants harvesting grapes beneath a castle, reflecting the rhythms of labor in Autum

A medieval illuminated manuscript depicting a banquet scene with several noble figures gathered around a table, with soldiers and banners in the background, and astrological symbols at the top.

VIDEO: January Calendar Page in the Tres Riches Heures

VIDEO: February Calendar Page in the Tres Riches Heures

January

Farmers sow wheat, birds peck at seeds, and frost covers the ground, giving us insight into seasonal cycles and life in medieval France.

February

Peasants warm themselves by a fire, chop wood in the snow, and walk to town. This page offers a stark contrast to January, even if these are well-off medieval peasants.

Peasants are preparing the ground for planting

VIDEO: March Calendar Page in the Tres Riches Heures

March

Depending on where you live in the world, March can still feel like Winter. Still, as this calendar page shows, there are hints toward spring.

Across cultures, artists used lamps, candles, and glowing halos to symbolize hope and renewal during winter’s darkest days.

Light in the Darkness

Painting of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in a manger with cherubs and angels in the clouds above.

VIDEO: The Nativity by José Campeche

Beasts

From Europe to East Asia, artists have long imagined creatures that blur the line between human, animal, and spirit. Monsters can symbolize danger, mystery, or the forces that lie beyond the realm of everyday life.