This week as we step into the new year we slow things down to grant us the luxury of absorbing all things around us – the moods, the colours, the sounds and the smells. Our first edition of the year arrives in the middle of the dead winter and while it is nothing short of a challenge for us to resist the temptation of jumping right into the depths of news and issues that continue to challenge us, it is also but natural for us to be utterly in awe of the bitter cold.

While there is much romancing the mist and the dark, there is also the harsh reality that cannot be ignored – the disparities depriving many a people of protection and warmth needed in this season.

For our first special report this year, we take a look at our winters and all that they bring us. From a typical day in the coldest part of the year to memories of winters gone by to the poetry that captures our imagination to the warm delicacies that tantalise our taste buds and the fashion that dons our streets, winter brings with it a mix of emotions. This week, we try to capture all that and more before we gear up for the longest season ahead – news and all that jazz.