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Constant as the rain, clouds and overcast winter weather in Seattle are the complaints that surface during the Pacific Northwest rainy season every year.

But the long months and short days of Western Washington’s winter, when the region welcomes that ominously named “Big Dark,” need not be so dreary. There are books, movies, munchies and TV shows to match every wintry mood, plus outdoor adventures, indoor sports galore and more to enjoy.

We’ve rounded up some ideas for you in this guide to embracing the gray skies of the Big Dark.

Arts critic Moira Macdonald put it best, introducing a photo essay from the shortest days of the year in Seattle: “For some of us, winter is the evening of the year; a time of quiet and calm and gazing outside at the magical fading light, or at the pale-yellow beacon of a lamp in a nearby window. Things slow down; life gets softer. Yes, spring is coming, but let’s revel in the poetry of winter shadows, just for a little while longer.”

— Trevor Lenzmeier, deputy features editor

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Anthony Ramos as Usnavi and Melissa Barrera as Vanessa in Warner Bros. Pictures “In the Heights”

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