Winter Magic
Winter can be a difficult old season. The days are short, and the weather is blustery and cold, and with the excitement of festivities now behind us, things can feel a little gloomy. But, there is magic to be found in winter, and we're here to help you make the most of it.
Feel free to follow our guide below or dip in and out of a few to embrace the season.
Get up early for a walk at dawn
It'll be dark and definitely chilly, so you'll need to wrap up warm. Pack a thermos and a few snacks, and head out to your nearest patch of greenery and see how nature wakes up. Make a note of what birdsong you hear, or any wildlife you spot. Deer are often awake at this time, making the most of the quiet, and if you're really lucky, you might even spot an owl. Once you've finished your walk, head home for a well-earned cuppa and breakfast, and note how it changes your mindset for the day ahead.
Make a hot chocolate
An especially chilly day calls for hot chocolate. Gather your favourite chocolate, milk and marshmallows alongside your favourite mug and make yourself the cosiest drink in the whole world. Extra points if you can snuggle up with a book whilst you drink it.
Light a fire
As the night draws in, and if you have a woodburner, make a habit of lighting it just as dusk approaches, to ensure that once darkness hits, you'll be nice and cosy. If you don't have a woodburner at home, why not seek out a country pub that does and ask for a table closest to it?
Tuck into a good book
The longer nights bring an opportunity for catching up on reading. In the summer, when the days are long and warm, you often feel guilty about spending time indoors. But winter invites you to stay inside, build a cosy little blanket nest for yourself on your sofa and read to your heart's content. Embrace those extra few hours in the mornings and evenings accordingly!
Batch cook some comforting food
Steal a few hours at the weekend to batch cook some of your favourite recipes for the week ahead and enjoy the moments of creating something delicious for yourself and your family that's been homemade. You'll also save yourself time on those mid-week evenings when you don't fancy cooking as much.
Plan ahead
Winter is a good opportunity to set out your plans for the year ahead. Embrace the extra time you have indoors to plan your activity once things warm up. Make a list of all the places you hope to visit this year, or any crafting projects you hope to complete, or any achievements you want to make at work. We're proven to be more likely to do something if we've physically written it down, so get planning.
Write a letter to your future self
Steal half an hour and write a letter to yourself for one year's time. Set out your plans and hopes for yourself in a letter, and then open it the following year to see how you did. You can sign up to our initiative for it here, or write your own and keep yourself.
These are just a few of our tips, but do please add your own beneath! You can also find our 'Winter Magic' card here, which celebrates all the best bits of the season as well. Please do enjoy this season, and remember that it passes very quickly, and it won't be long before the days are longer, the sun is shining, and things feel a little brighter.