Embracing the Heart of Winter

When it comes to winter weather I am one of “those” people who gets excited about the lack of sunlight, the stark winter landscape, and the snow.  I know, I know— this is a bit weird to some people and I’m often met with icy glares and sinister scoffing from my sun worshipping peers.  But in the interest of those who cringe at the thought of an encroaching winter, I thought I’d offer my favorite tips and suggestions for thriving in the winter months.  

First, winter is a wonderful time to “hibernate”.  Some refer to it as “hygge” (aka the Scandinavian term for sinking into the coziness of the season) — but for any group of people who cyclically live through winter, we also know it as “hunkering down”, “hibernating”, “wintering”, or even “disappearing”.  Perhaps it’s because I’m an introvert, but I love this aspect of winter the most.   Combine any of the following below to embrace the art of human hibernation.
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Winter Indoors

Get out the warm blankets—lots of them 
There are so many blankets to mix and layer these days, from nostalgic wool blankets and family quilts to modern comforters and fleece throws.  Keep blankets in all the rooms where you spend time relaxing.  Make sure there are plenty for everyone-- including your pets--and snuggle up often.

Wear warm socks and slippers 
You can often find warm winter socks at craft fairs (made by your local knitters), at the farmers market, at a local venue, and of course online.  The advantage to buying socks locally means you can actually feel how thick, soft, and durable they are.  You can also get a better sense for the size.  When a cold winter’s day or night brings a chill in your home, put on a pair of warm socks and curl up in those blankets mentioned above.  

​Indulge in reading
This is a great time of year to lose yourself  in used books, new books, and shared books.  

• If you are extroverted and/or experiencing “cabin fever”, organize a book club or book swap where you and friends gather to enjoy some yummy food and drink and then exchange books and/or discuss a book you’ve all read.  You can also gather for a movie night based on the book you’ve all read. 
• Buy a few books you can turn to throughout the winter to pick up at anytime and read— keep them in common areas where you might sit down with a cup of coffee or tea.  
• Use your local library to read the other books that you’ve been wanting to catch up on— put yourself on a waiting list for any books that are currently checked out and/or in high demand.  Also, make use of your library’s interlibrary loan service.  This serve allows you to borrow books from other libraries if your own library doesn’t have what you need.  
• Write your own book. Have you been planning to write your own book for a while?  If so, winter can be a wonderful time of year for writing due to fewer distractions and more likelihood of being “snowed in” on occasion.  ​​

​Make and eat homemade comfort foods
I’m not talking junk food here— I’m talking about hearty soups, stews, and other foods that feel satisfying and comforting to eat.  These are the foods that warm you from the inside out and are perfect for days when it’s snowing, when you’ve been outdoors shoveling or skiing, or after a long day of work and a crappy commute. That’s the kind of food I’m talking about.  If you yourself are not a cook, seek out local places to buy from.  Sometimes your local bakers, caterers, or restaurants will have pot pies or soups to sell that are frozen.  You can tuck these in your freezer until needed.    

• If you do enjoy cooking, winter is a great time to pull out the crock pots, slow cookers, dutch ovens, and soup kettles to make your favorite comfort foods.  
• Invite friends over for a dinner party or a pot luck.
• Experiment with a new type of baking or cooking— i.e. master the art of bread baking this winter, or explore a whole new cuisine.  This is where buying a new cookbook— or some online research— can help you expand on your cooking skills and interests.

 

Make warm drinks
Winter is the perfect time to indulge in warm drinks:  Mulled apple cider.  Coffees.  Herbal teas.  Medicinal drinks.  Hot cocoa.  Chai.  Find your favorite brands and recipes for hot drinks and keep them on hand for chilly days.  

For a touch of extravagance add whipped cream, cinnamon sticks, anise stars, sprinkles of sugar or spice, or any other garnish to make your warm drinks more special.

For extra extra extravagance splurge on unique items such as tea that comes in shaped tea bags Or, try Butterfly Pea Flower Tea which is a gorgeous blue-hued tea that turns purple when you add lemon to it! 

Find a favorite mug for those warm drinks
In a world of too-many-mugs this is a rather simple suggestion.  However, if you’re going to spend an entire season in cold weather, a favorite mug for your hot drinks and soups can be a mood lifter.  Whether the mug is heavy and has a certain comfort to how it feels in your hands, to a mug with gorgeous or whimsical artwork, or a mug given to you by someone who holds your heart in their heart, or a mug that expresses your sense of humor….in the dark months of winter, a special mug can really make a difference on your mood and provide a sense of routine and comfort. 

Do “nothing”
Daydream.  Stare at the walls.  Notice the patterns on a quilt or a book cover.  Breathe. Watch the snow fall.  Feel the warmth of your blankets.  Snuggle with a pet.  Sip your coffee.  Watch the birds outside your window.  Listen to the traffic. Breathe some more. 

Take a nap
Grab a book and crawl under as many blankets as you can.  Read until you find yourself getting relaxed, warm, and sleepy.  Whether you fall asleep or not is fine— just giving your body a chance to rest is a wonderful gift to yourself. 

Get Crafty
Winter is a great enabler for crafty people like myself.  It’s not only a great time to peruse Pinterest and craft blogs for new projects to make, but it’s also a time to finish any craft projects you’ve started and/or explore new ones.

• Send mail art to friends--it's an artsy and fun way to send a hello, and will most likely brighten their day!
• Create something to add to the cozy decor of your room or home, such as new wall art or something to hang in the windows. 
• Learn to knit...or if you're already a knitter, learn to knit something new.
• Make an art journal— fill a sketchbook with various artwork and/or written material.  It can include anything from a picture you drew on a post it note while talking on the phone, a poem you wrote, experimental watercolor splotches, sketches, or whatever you regularly draw or write. Feel free to add collage items and ephemera such as ticket stubs, receipts from special events, photos, or words and pics cut out of magazines.
• Invite your friends over for a creative gathering where everyone brings food or drink to share, along with a creative project to do.  ​

Do puzzles, play games
When I was a kid my grandparents loved to do jigsaw puzzles, especially the ones that contained “whimsy pieces” (puzzle pieces cut into specific shapes, such as a bird or an airplane).  There are still puzzle companies today that make high quality, artistic puzzles that include whimsy pieces in addition to other special features.  My favorite puzzles so far have come from Artifact Puzzles which are gorgeously made.   

Get a puzzle book—whether it’s sudoku, crosswords, or word finds it’s nice to have puzzle book around for those moments when your mind wants to be awake and engaged but you still want to curl up and relax.  

New board games and card games are released frequently for people of all ages. If games are something you enjoy, check to see if your local library has a lending library of games (yes, some do offer that!).  You can coordinate game night with family or friends.  

Soak
Winter is a wonderful time to sink into a hot bubble bath, but that’s not a feasible option for everybody.  If you do not own a tub, a bubbly aromatic foot bath can be a wonderful alternative.  Purchase a plastic tub (like one you’d wash dishes in)  and fill it with comfortably warm/hot water.  You can add essential oil, epsom salts, flower petals (organic, non sprayed ones), or bath gel to the water as well.  Keep a couple towels nearby in case of spills and for when you are done and need to dry your feet.  

Add lighting
If you are prone to seasonal affective disorder and/or become low during winter months, it might be helpful to try a sunlamp.  Talk about this option with your doctor, naturopath, or counselor before trying it, however, just to rule out any risk factors and to make sure you're getting the best possible care for your mental health.  

Lighting in general can help you during especially dark months.  Add “twinkle lights” around areas where you spend the most time and/or invest in novelty lights or other lighting decor to brighten up your home.  

Winter Outdoors

Now that I’ve covered ways to endure the winter months indoors, let’s move on to the outdoor activities.  Winter is certainly a great time to go outside and play, regardless of whether you’re a child or adult.

Build snow sculptures
Snow people are fun to build but don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut of only building snow people.  Try building something new— such as an upside down snow person…or a snow unicorn…or a snow cat.  You can also stack snowballs, create words on trees with sticky snow, make icicle art, and more.

Build a fort or an igloo 
Yes— really— even if you don’t have kids.  It’s not only great exercise but it’ll get your mind off of politics, the world news, and other stressors.  

If you do have kids, make sure to utilize the fort for unique opportunities such as bedtime stories (the kids get bundled up with their pajamas and you all bring blankets, flashlights, and lanterns to read stories in the fort). You can also have a picnic or tea party in the fort. 

Winter picnics
Picnics are not just for summer-- I actually prefer winter picnics over summer ones because they tend to be more adventurous and memorable.  Also, winter picnics at night are even more enchanting when you bring along candles and lanterns to light up your picnic area. 

Winter sports and recreation 
Winter is the ultimate playground for many recreational activities such as ice hockey, ice skating, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, sledding, and more.  If you don't already know whats available nearby, search online or ask community members for favorite spots like skating rinks and ponds, snowshoe trails, and sledding hills.  Don't forget to pack a Thermos full of hot soup or cocoa for the trip!

​Blow bubbles and watch them freeze
These are the kind of bubbles you create by dipping a wand into soapy liquid and then blowing gently on the wand to make bubbles. If the weather is cold enough where you are, the bubbles will freeze.  Frozen bubbles are mesmerizing to watch — see how many you can get to stay perfectly balanced on top of snowfall.  To make things even more interesting use the "dark light bubbles" and shine a black light on them--the frozen bubbles will glow!  
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You can also use black light bubbles to decorate forts or sculptures for night photography.  

Feed the animals
I tend to feed our backyard friends year round.  However, when you want a little backyard entertainment, put out a special picnic or tea party for the animals; build a snow person with arms holding seed;  make hearts and other shapes in the snow using birdseed; or decorate an outdoor tree with garlands of cereal or berries or ornaments made from bread, nut butters, and birdseed.  

I hope this blog post gives you a starting place for ways to embrace the heart of winter--when all else fails, start planning your gardens for spring and summer and get those seeds ordered.