Settling Into Winter
It's the time of year a lot of people dread. But if we settle into it rather than resist it, I think we can make the most of it- maybe even enjoy it ;)
When the cold starts setting in around November, it's easier to handle. Because we've got the holiday season ahead to look forward to, and we're frankly just busier- so we notice it less. The Christmas lights add just the right festive touch to make the outside magical. Then January comes- the Christmas lights come down, along with the tree- and there goes the magic, and what kept us warm up until now. Now what? I resisted taking down our Christmas tree and mantle garland until yesterday. I had removed the ornaments and bow on the top of the tree, sort of transitioning it to what I called a winter "tree" as of last week. I was determined to hold onto the magic as long as I could. But every time one of the dogs brushed by the tree, it was followed by a woosh of pine needles on the floor. Our tree was 50 shades of dead, but I was still holding on. I finally decided yesterday that it was time. Time to get rid of the holiday magic and glow, and transition into what's next. So what is next? It's easier when there's something specific to look forward to- a holiday, a vacation, etc. It gives you something to focus on and look towards. But what about when you don't have that on the horizon? It got me to thinking- what if we apply the same things that excite us about the holiday season, into the doldrums of winter? Ok bear with me here. It's a work in progress but something I've been thinking about. I'm analyzing all the things that make the holidays special and something to look forward to, and asking myself how I can translate them to the winter months. So I'm going to categorize some of the things that excite me about the holidays, and offer thoughts on how to incorporate the concept into the winter months.
Special meals/holiday foods: swap the holiday cookies and "treats" we look forward to for the holidays, for other things we can look forward to in winter. Try new recipes. If you're trying to eat healthier, try recipes that are hearty and warming for this time of year, but that are loaded with veggies instead of cheese and heavy cream lol. It's all about the spices, seriously. Right now I'm big into soups (planning on trying this recipe this week: Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup) Think about what's seasonal that you enjoy. I've been really into sumo oranges and clementines lately, and I really only eat them this time of year.
Holiday beverages: I love the Starbucks holiday drinks, so now I'm just swapping them for at home versions (and ones that are a little healthier, since I had my fill of sugar during the holidays LOL). I'm trying all the different flavored teas and cocoas (I'm currently obsessed with the Tazo glazed lemon loaf herbal tea and sign me up for anything Earl Grey). And I make the cocoa like a kids version, with the toppings- mini marshmallows and whipped cream. Why not?! As far as all the alcohol we may enjoy for the holidays, maybe you're doing dry January. There are now sooo many non alcoholic liquors available, and wines. You could get crafty and make fun recipes. Or maybe you want to focus on getting more water in, so you can try different fun seltzer flavors (the polar pomegranate champagne is my current obsession- and no, it doesn't have champagne in it lol), or spike your seltzer with a tiny bit of juice that's a fun flavor. I find that having something warm at night like a non caffeinated tea or cocoa is a good sub for alcohol. It gives you that ritual, without the alcohol. Plus it warms you up and is soothing before bed.
Holiday décor: now that the fun Christmas magic has been put away, it can feel kind of… barren. But it also feels kinda nice to have a clean slate. And to not be picking up pine needles every two seconds. Here's what I'm doing to bring some magic, and fun design elements into the house that feel cozy. On the weekends in particular, I always have fires going in our fireplace. If we had a gas fireplace, I'd probably run it all the time. But it's just nice to have something cozy and inviting in the living room. I'm also all about the candles. So I swap my Christmas candles out for something that's got a sort of moody winter vibe (I love the Tobacco Bark candles from Terrain- or something equally woodsy scented). As we're coming up on Valentine's day, I'll add in some hot pink taper candles and a little Valentine's day garland on the mantle. We're going to do a few design tweaks too, like swapping some pictures/picture frames in our home- and I'm thinking about wallpapering our hallway with some peel and stick wallpaper. Just some fun little projects that will add new life in our home and give it a fresh feel. Bringing plants in is a great way to add some freshness too. Even little guys for your counter (they always have options at Trader Joe’s).
Parties/Socialization: our social calendars have gone from packed to… empty lol. So we have to make the effort to add the fun in. Add things to look forward to. My goal is to have 1 social thing a week that's scheduled. It doesn't have to be huge either. Maybe it's coffee with a friend one week, drinks out with a friend the following week. A walk outside the next week. You get the idea. It doesn't have to be as "full on" as our social activities during the holidays, but it's nice to have these little occasions to look forward to.
Holiday movies: one of the novelties of the holidays is watching holiday movies, because you really only watch them that one time of year. So instead, I'm just finding new shows/movies to get into. New things to get invested in/interested in. It's funny because for some reason, I've gone straight to true crime/documentaries, dark stuff. It's like I needed the complete opposite of holiday themed content LOL. But the point is, whatever you feel like genre wise, just to find things that you can get into. Binge worthy. It gives you something to look forward to at night. And if you want the honest truth of the bizarre things I've gotten into the past few weeks… they've included: Daniel (Max), The Curious Case of Nathalia Grace (Max), Mommy dead and dearest (Gypsy Rose story on Max), Love Has Won- the Cult of Mother God (Max), Saltburn (Amazon Prime), Escaping Twin Flames (Netflix). Tonight I'm going to watch True Detective: Night Country on Max.
Gifting: if you're someone who loves giving gifts, now is the perfect time to purge your home and make donations. Go through clothing, gifts, home décor. Donate to local charities, or offer on Facebook for free, etc. It's a great time to clean out your house, while also helping those who can benefit from the things you no longer use/need. I just did a big purge of clothes and books and donated, and it feels amazing. Why let things take up your space that you don't need, especially when someone else can benefit from them?!
Novelty: one of the things that can make the holiday season special is the novelty of getting to experience new things. We can easily apply that to winter! Maybe you want to try a new type of workout, try new recipes, go out and take a class on something that interests you.
Lastly, there are things that we get during this season that we don't get during the holidays, which we can lean into. Some of the things I love about this time of year:
Getting back into routine- there's something comforting about the familiarity of routine. Plus it's less stressful and allows for more time for rest.
An emphasis on health- I'm not someone who goes full out Jan 1 with a totally different diet, dry January, etc. For me, it's just about getting to a place where I feel my best, and using moderation for everything. There's no moderation during the holidays lol. But it feels good to get back to some of your more routined ways of eating, working out etc. that just make you feel like the best version of yourself.
More downtime- it's natural for us to slow down this time of year, so we should embrace it and not resist it. The sun is out less, which may mean earlier bed times and/or later wake ups. Or just more time chilling on the couch with a good book. Come spring, we'll want to be outside and doing more, so this is a time to reset and get ready for the busier times of year.
More time for projects- I love using this time of year to get things done around the house. Reorganizing, purging- all the projects that aren't fun, and I would never want to do when the weather is nice. But when we're inside more, it's the perfect time. And it's so satisfying when we can get these projects done.
Ok so really lastly- I think getting outside this time of year is important in our overall mental health. It's so much more tempting to sort of hermit and stay inside. But the fresh air and perspective of being out in nature is really energizing and good for us. So if you're not a winter sports person (raises hand), just incorporating walks outside is great. Even though my morning walks with the dogs are harder to motivate on this time of year (esp when I wake up to single digit temps and it's barely light out), I force myself to do it- and am always glad I did.
I'm wishing you a winter season filled with rest, and renewal. And hopefully some fun sneaks its way in there ;)
Xo
P.s. reach out with any movie/documentary/show/podcast/book recs… I'm always looking for new stuff to get into!!! Especially if you think it will suit my current desire for all things dark, drama, crime LOL.
