Can you become a winter person? Maybe we could try together?

[LoreleiGilmore]

I once read a thread on here about becoming a morning person - it was so useful but annoyingly I can’t find it! It was all about helping yourself through the transition to the day through sensory experiences - so having a fluffy dressing gown/slippers/rug to use as soon as you got up, good smelling coffee, going outside to drink it in the garden to feel the quiet and scent of the morning air. It was lovely but I can’t find it anymore - does anyone remember it?

I want to apply the same logic to try and become a winter person. I find as the days get darker I start to feel really low and unhappy. I miss sunshine, long evenings, iced coffee, eating salads and feeling full, the smell of the air. Wearing a dress and sandles and being ready to go.

I need to safeguard against becoming super depressed, putting on weight and just feeling awful. Does anyone have any tips on how to ease the transition into winter? Here’s what I have so far:

• have a warm candle lit shower as soon as I get back from work with a nice smelling shower gel

*make the house (esp my bedroom) super cosy. Have indulgently brought a linen spray from Zara so bed smells heavenly and want to buy a really thick and heavy wool blanket (where can I get one from that doesn’t cost £££?)

• light nice candles in the evening to feel cosy (go to Aldi/Ikea for budget friendly options?)

• improve winter wardrobe. I hate all the winter layers. So heavy and then suddenly you feel so overheated as soon as you get on a train/into a shop/the office. What should I be wearing?

*skin care - my lips are so dry and skin is getting worse too as drinking less water. What could help? I heard using nipple cream is a good lip balm sub but not finding it amazing tbh.

• think of nice, filling winter meals - stews and soups that are not super carb-y and stodgy. Maybe invest in a slow cooker so dinner is ready to come home to... is this worth it?

*how can I find the motivation to exercise when it’s so bloody dark all the time?

*use the long evenings to start some long series guilt-free. What should we be watching?

*make something lovely to drink and listen to some great podcasts/audiobooks on commute to so that the dark and ice don’t feel so depressing. Any recommendations for a)drinks cup that will stay warm and b)great stuff to listen to?

Any other tips? Is it even possible to become a winter person?

I remember it! I could really do with reading it again. And yes, I very much need to beome a winter person. Currently I feel like the cold sucks out my very soul and I can’t function. I hate it. I’ve become really depressed since the temperature dropped and the clock went back. (Dark evenings)

I’m currently focussing on not having to think in the mornings. I’m setting myself up with everything the night before so I know when I wake up I don’t have to spend time in the cold going to find anything, I can just go straight to the shower and my towel and flannel are there, my clothes are on the radiator, my make up is on the drawing up table, my lunch is in the fridge, and before I know it I’m at work and I havent even had to think. Once I’m in work I’m fine. It’s too late to turn back If I have to think, I start finding reasons to stay in bed.

I did buy myself and DC all flannelete sheets for bed and matched all the hot water bottles up with their correct stopper. I’m also writing a “must stock up” list of things like cold and flu medicines, wood for the fire, teabags. (I cannot run out of teabags or were fucked!).

@IStandWithPosie you are my people. I know exactly what you mean and it utterly sucks. Both days this weekend I have had to tear myself out of bed as I just feel so awful and hopeless. Once I’m up and power through it, it gets better but having clothes/towel/food to hand is just the sort of stuff I need to do just to function normally.

I hope someone else remembers and can link to the morning thread!

I think it was something like “how to become a morning person” I’m going to do an AS and see if I can find it.

I can’t find it. I bet it was in _chat and disappeared after 90 days!

Ahhh yes I think you’re right, that was probably it. That’s a shame.

The other thing I was thinking of is booking nice stuff to do to look forward to - that’s tricky though as I don’t have much motivation to leave the house atm...

I’m the same. I keep seeing things I think might be fun, but they’re outside, in the cold. Why do people hold festive activities outside? It’s cold. What’s fun about that? Hire a venue. With radiators.

I just posted a thread about cold hands/feet.
I been diagnosed with a temporary condition an possible link to thyroid and already struggle with the cold now!
I work outside too so the temptation to not go in is great in mornings!!
I digress, I’d love to read a thread on how to condition for winter!!

My favourite thing about winter is the open fire blazing. Dh lights and cleans it out but it lifts my spirits every time and nothing l like more than sitting in on a cold night.
I also like lots of lights around the house when l get in so get dh to turn on lamps everywhere as it cheers me immediately.
Now to stop snacking by the fire!
Lidl this week have candles you don't light..just pretend ones but they flicker so will look at them too. Its all about light for me .

@junebirthdaygirl I think you’re right... light is key. I like lamps too. You’re lucky to have a fire, that sounds gorgeous

Placemarking. I remember the morning person thread (didn't work for me, but old habits die hard).

Uniqlo heat tech clothing is absolutely brilliant and will keep you very warm without any bulk or masses of layers.

This thread will be awesome for me. I have Raynaud's and feel proper miserable mine the cold. I also miss going to the park with the children or to the beach after school

My tip is lighting and gorgeous blankets. We bought a second hand electric fireplace on eBay for the living room and it has transformed the room. Last week I bought a new blanket from Wilko's for just £6. It's incredibly soft and has stars all over it. I'm thinking of getting another.

We also bought some fairy lights (non christmassy) for our bedroom so it looks pretty when we go to bed and read for a bit.

Love the flannelette sheets idea!

My dream would be to have a proper fire. Our last house had a real fireplace and I miss it so much.

I would like to recommend thermal flannelette bottom and top sheets +pillow cases!! Our house is a huge fridge and our bed has been transformed into a cosy paradise!!

I made the mistake of thinking this morning. Pondering the temperature outside my duvet. And then while I was thinking, my first client cancelled. So no work until after lunch. I took an extra half hour in bed. It didn’t make getting up any easier. I spent too long thinking about it I was too aware of how painful it was. Rule No.1: NO THINKING IN THE MORNING.

@ThanksItHasPockets good tip! Thank you.

We have oodles of cosy blankets in a blanket box in my room so I’m going to go round this evening and distribute them around the sofas.

Definitely agree with lamps and candles. Cosy cosy cosy.

I’ve just thought of my aunt who lives in Canada. She’s a real outdoors type and absolutely loves the winter. She’s always posting photos of her wood chopping progress and her winter dog walks. They (her and her DH and friends) have campfires all year round and sit by it all bundled up drinking beer. Weirdos

Last January I hit the sales and blew my whole new clothes budget on an amazing winter coat. This coat is the reason I'm excited it's getting cold again as it means I get to wear it all the time for the next few months! It's bright and adds some colour to grey wintery days.

I always try to force myself to go outside and get a good hour of daylight, even if it's raining.

I love all the winter drinks. Hot chocolate, mulled wine, etc. They are warm and comforting. So after my hour outside I warm up with a really good quality hot chocolate

When I was a child I loved being out in the freezing cold all bundled up with hats and scarves. I wish I could get back that desire to want to go out in it.

I fixed not being a winter person by moving to Sydney. We still get winter - 3 months of cool, gloriously sunny days where the temp is about 15-19 every day and I can wear boots and jumpers but rarely a jumper and a coat.

Then I miss the boiling heat of the summer by coming back to the UK for a month or so at christmas.

I just remember standing on the tube station one day having walked there in sheeting horizontal rain, there was an advert for Australia and I thought “fuck this, I’m going”. That was 12 years ago!

I actually slightly prefer winter to summer, love being all wrapped up and cosy. Here are some of my tips..

Have you heard of hygge? There is a lovely book about it (basically it's a danish word for feeling cozy/happy).
Has lots of ideas in there for embracing dark and cold evenings there is also a Facebook page I follow where people add photos/recipes of their 'hygge experiences' it's a really lovely positive page as there's never any drama or negativity.

Have cozy blankets for everyone- we each have our own ones in a wicker basket next to the sofa.
I light a candle every evening currently using a vanilla based Yankee candle shea butter but the vanilla ones I've had from Ikea have also been nice. I also embrace lamp lighting!

As soon as I get in from work or after I'm not going out anywhere I change in to thick fleece pyjamas I've got a shed load from primark and they are so cosy, warm and comfortable I miss them in the summer!

Slippers wise nothing I've ever had has beaten my ugg slippers they are like walking on a cloud and will always keep your feet warm.

We love watching boxsets or films so have Netflix and sky movies which we can generally always find something on there.

Books in bed or wrapped up on the sofa or if you're careless with them like me then in the bath are lovely ways to pass the time.
I often have a hot bath when I get in if I'm feeling chilled.
I wear thermal long sleeve tops and leggings (mine are from m&s) under pretty much all my outfits and I buy those huge scarves from H&M which can also double as a sort of shawl or blanket. Great for visiting chilly houses, cold cinemas/cafes or travelling.

Think that's most things, I would definitely recommend a slow cooker and always having your favourite hot drinks in. I love the Nescafé cappuccino sachets so keep boxes or sachets of them at home, work and in my handbag.
Another fun food winter thing we do is instead of buying Friday sweets/choc individually for us all (x5) we get a tub of the celebrations or heroes to share on the lead up to Christmas.

We love going on autumn walks. One of our favourite things to do on a Sunday morning at this time of year is pop a chicken in the oven, get wrapped up and go for a walk in the woods sometimes with a flask of hot chocolate then get home in time for the chicken to be almost ready. We put some ready to bake baguettes in the oven and have hot chicken, stuffing and cranberry sauce baguettes. Then we can stay in for the afternoon without feeling guilty as we've got out and about.

The only thing I struggle with in winter is exercise!
Think I've waffled enough now hope some of that is helpful.

Wow ozgirl! I love stories like that. Did you move alone or with a partner/family? When my DC are up and out Id like to spread my wings.

I found a copy of this at the book exchange at the GP's - lovely! Not naturally a winter person but very inspired by this

www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Book-Hygge-Danish-Penguin/dp/0241283914/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+little+book+of+hygge&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1541415002&sr=8-1

@IStandWithPosie I moved over here with my husband, we had been married about 4 years. He fancied a change too, it wasn’t hard to convince him. Since then we’ve had two children out here.

It’s not perfect - there are loads of things I love about the UK (and we are lucky that we come back 1-2 times per year) but it’s a very nice life here and I certainly do not miss the long dark winters, even in the south of England where I grew up.

Is it expensive to live compared to the U.K.?

(Sorry for thread derail!)

I would say Sydney is comparable with the south of England. Food here is quite expensive, but pretty good. Houses have increased in price but you get good sized houses for your money. Travel is very cheap (trains etc) but tax is a bit higher. Wages are quite good (depending on your sector).

One thing is that you can do so many activities so cheaply. So we often spend a day at the beach (free) and then go for a bush walk (free). There are so many nice outdoor things to do all year round.

It’s not for everyone, out of the main cities it can be a bit racist and bogan but where we live is very international - in my son’s kindy claas there are kids with parents from all over the world.

Off to bed now!

I live alone so I find I like keeping just me warm, rather than keeping the house warm. Like a pp I have fleece PJ's that I wear instead of a dressing gown, over a tank top and leggings, and have an electric fleece throw on the couch and an electric blanket. I will often get home from work, have a scaldinglu hot shower and put gym kit on, with fleecy over PJ's. Chill on couch all evening and sleep in gym kit. Then in morning get up, brush teeth, turn slow cooker on, grab bag of work stuff and pre prepped lunch and go out the door (10 mins and like another pp, no thinking!). In the evening, get home, hot shower, PJ's, eat, prep following days food and work bag, repeat. Means I get to do nothing but watch TV in the evening but still exercise.