It's the cruelest month of the year in even the best of times—and these most certainly are not the best of times. That means curing the blahs by jetting off for a daiquiri-soaked sun fest is out. As is treating your seasonal-affectedness with pricey retail, spa, or fine-dining therapy. But hope of enduring the frostbitten weeks ahead is not lost: There are still plenty of ways to perk up your February, all of which can be done on the cheap, and none of which requires leaving town. (You might want a good pair of snow boots, though.)

Illustrations by Jameson Simpson
Photograph by Eric Kulin
Symphony Photos by Tim Llewellyn