Making Friends with Winter
The leaves have left, the sun barely shows her face and the risk of slipping on ice is lurking on every corner. Although, there is a glimmer of hope hiding in fairy lights, cosy pub corners and at the bottom of a mug of mulled wine!
I'm not usually a fan of winter, it feels like it goes on for a lifetime and spending time outdoors becomes limited to the right weather conditions, hemmed in by daylight. In previous years I would sit and wait for winter to be over so I could adventure outside again, this year I've decided to make friends with winter and learn to embrace it a bit more (I'm not saying I'm going to smile whilst defrosting the car but maybe just do more to enjoy this passing of time).
I recently learnt the Norwegian word 'Koselig' pronounced "koosh-lee". It's all about creating warmth from within, a series of actions that enable a 'cosy vibe'. Simple pleasures of sharing comfortable surroundings with people you care about - celebrating what winter is and not focusing on what it isn't. Koselig is similar to Denmark's hygge but more focused on the social aspect and a connection with nature.
Cosy Outside:
I love being outside in summer, the light and warmth just make it so much easier to just go out for a mooch around. Winter requires a lot more effort- especially up here in the rainy Manchester. BUT. I do enjoy the simple pleasures of things like soaking up the sunshine on a bench in the park and enjoying a walk with a friend with a flask of hot coffee (have you ever tried warm apple juice and rum - delish!). You don't have to go full Wim Hof if you do leave the house but just being mindful of getting some Vitamin D on your lovely little face will go a long way.
Cosy Inside:
It can be so easy to turn winter into telly season so I've picked out some things I like doing that don't require a screen - although I do enjoy listening to a podcast or audiobook whilst I'm working on something (my local library have an app for free audiobooks - have a look to see if yours offer this too!).
It's always tempting to gravitate towards textiles when the weather gets colder, my background is in textiles so I will always promote knitting, crocheting and sewing - ooft or a bit of quilt work! Why not see if you have a local club where you can meet up and find like minded people for a creative evening? Or crack on with some handmade Christmas presents? A new hot water bottle cover? A fun scarf?...
Lino block printing and card making are also great ways to get started on those homemade Christmas gifts!
The little things:
Something as simple as stewed apple and cinnamon porridge for breakfast is enough to tempt me out from my warm duvet. Finding the small things that spark a bit of enthusiasm. Two purchases that really get me through the long everydayness is my heated gilet and my sunrise lamp. There are so many heated gilets on the market now, they are heated up using a small battery pack and a good one will last you all day. The morning rise lamp mimics sunrise and will start to get brighter half an hour before your alarm is due to go off. This removes the starkness between twilight bedtime and switching the lamp on, burning your eyes out of their sockets.
Other things like timer plugs or smart plugs for lamps are a god send, coming home to a nicely lit house helps to keep some of the winter dread out. Even something as simple as choosing a wool cover for your hot water bottle can make a huge difference- a wool cover will keep your hot water bottle warm all night. I also recently got some reflector key-rings for my backpack to help to brighten my winter outfit up.
I'll let you know how I get on with this making friends with winter challenge, sign up to my newsletter here to stay updated.
A few things I've enjoyed listening to recently in my crochet corner:
Comedy and food with Off Menu - I laughed out loud at this episode
Just Another Missing Person audiobook by Gillian McAllister
Please feel free to add your podcast and audiobook recommendations to the comments!
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