7 Ideas To Ease into Winter

“Embrace these short days. Curl up with a book, a candle, and something delicious. Revel in the dark depths of the season -so beautiful, black, and so utterly without expectation.” -Richard Street

Winter is one of those season that I truly love and savor every year and I know that I may be the minority on this. The official start of winter starts in two weeks and coming with it also, our shortest day of the year. While I do love every season for its own unique experiences, wintertime simply gives us a chance to have the nourishing experience of cozying up at home warming both our environments and ourselves. While winter can be a hard season for many due to the lack of sunlight, the possibility of “cabin fever” from staying home too much, and the possible lack of energy, there are some ways that we can ease into winter and to start the season off in a more delightful way so that we may look forward to the next few months as a time to savor. Here are seven ways to ease into winter and enjoy the season that brings with it a time to move slower and a time to rest.

Give Yourself Grace

In the winter our energy is naturally less than that of the warmer months.  Especially after Christmas when all of the holiday excitement has passed. If you find that you are doing less workouts, staying in bed longer on the weekends, having a few more baked goods, or opting to stay home instead of going out when the weather is cold, then just know that you are not alone.  Give yourself grace in knowing that it’s just the season and it’s okay to have this time to take care of yourself in a way that feels good to you during this colder time of year. We do not always have to be super productive and always “crushing it”. Let yourself rest as needed and take it one day at a time.

Indulge in Comfort Foods

Roasts, casseroles, soups, pastas, and baked goods can help you to ease into the colder months in a comforting and nourishing way. You can find many recipes online for winter comfort foods or even pick up a cookbook to give you ideas.  But whatever your comfort food may be, savor the process of cooking them up and enjoying them by candlelight as a way to nourish yourself during the cold winter months.

Light the Candles and the Fireplace

While you may be doing this already, the reason why I mention this as a point is because during the winter months it can be easy to not make an effort when energy is at its lowest. But when we take the time to do these small things for ourselves as consistently as possible, it becomes easier to form these actions into a habit that we naturally do. The warm glow of the candles and/or a fireplace not only sets the environment for absolute coziness, but it creates a feedback loop to ourselves each year that winter is a beautiful season to be savored, not dreaded. We will have our memories from the previous winters to confirm this bias and thereby we will naturally be more delighted once winter comes around again.

Enjoy A Weekly Bath or Sauna

If you have access to a bathtub or a sauna, take advantage and make the effort to enjoy their warmth. If you have a bathtub then there are so many ways to make it a luxurious experience too.  Use a scented bath bomb, bath oils, or bubbles, take a book, light a few candles, make a seasonal drink and use this time to simply enjoy being submerged in the hot water to nourish you during those early evenings.

Make Time To Visit Your Favorite Cozy Places

During the winter months I love to visit cozy places such as bookstores, antique shops, cafes, and museums. It can be so tempting to want to just stay home, especially when it’s colder than normal outside, but getting out and doing things (besides errands) can help you to not feel so cooped up in the house. While we may love to be homebodies when it’s cold out (myself included), getting out will help you to still experience those things that you enjoy. Many times, people dread winter because they often feel like they are stuck at home due to the colder weather, so getting out helps to alleviate some of that worry by not having to stay home too much.

Have A Few Winter Themed Television or Movie Nights

There are so many good movies and television shows that take place during the winter/holiday time and having a themed night cozied up at home can also spark inspiration for even more ideas on how to ease into winter. Watching winter themed movies is a fun way to get excited for the upcoming season and to glean ideas for yourself as well. Some shows or movies to watch are British Bake-Off Holidays, Sugar Rush Holidays, Knives Out, Little Women, The Holiday, Groundhog Day, Serendipity, The Grand Budapest Hotel, What Happens Later, and The Holdovers.

Purchase An Electric Blanket or Heating Pad

Eventually you may have a few days that are going to be simply colder than normal outside and so you plan to stay home and enjoy a movie or a hobby.  To make this experience even more comforting consider investing in an electric blanket or a heating pad. You’ll be able to wrap up in pure warmth that may even put you into a cozy winter’s nap. If you also find that your house may be a bit colder in the winter even with the heat on, an electric blanket or heating pad will help keep you cozy all season long effortlessly.

Bonus Tip: Enjoy Winter Themed Hobbies

I am a girl who enjoys many hobbies here at home. My hobbies include doing jigsaw puzzles, baking, coloring, reading, and other puzzles such as crossword or word search. But whether you like knitting, cross stitch, scrapbooking, painting, or any other hobby, incorporating winter themes into your hobbies will help you to enjoy the season even more. I love reading cozy books that take place in winter, or putting together a puzzle with a wintery scene, or coloring a winter picture. Incorporating the season into your hobbies will have you easing into the winter season in a fun way and may even have you looking forward to it just a little more.