Far enough north it doesn't get dark, but the sun does set for a few hours. I am am about 700 km south from the Arctic circle.
It is strange and also really great when the weather is good. Long nights on a terrace having a cider is something to enjoy and makes the winter almost bearable.
How cold does it get where you are in the winter? Where I am from it was kind of like Finnish Autumn, 5-10 degrees and grey.
It can get that cold on rare winters days, but only overnight for a little while in some places, not everywhere. Being at the coast on the south shore, it stays milder than inland which is semi desert. "Almost bearable" you say lol. Usually 15 degrees is the general coldest in winter, besides those odd freezes overnight briefly. You are a tough family to emigrate there and still handle it.