To ask what "little things" help get you through the less exciting winter months?

[Ilovepearjuice]

In particular, January and February?

I'm definitely a person affected by the long, dark, cold evenings. Once the festivities and twinkly lights of Christmas and New Year is over, I always go through a very glum period and Jan/Feb seem to drag on forever.

Please may I ask what little things you do to get you through those winter blues? What brings you joy? Trips away, purchases, activities... Anything!

I want to make a list in advance and plan ahead, so that I know I always have something to make me feel good and hopefully others too!

Jan and Feb are the worst months but I focus on the days getting longer and spring only being around the corner. It's usually about this time that I start to plan what I'm planting in the garden in spring.

I also try harder to make the house cosy, and to get out for walks while the sun is shining.

Lots of indoor bulbs, a pile of books, chats with my grown up DC, lots of lunches with my retired friends. Planning the garden for the spring.
I’m also stocking up on knitting projects.
We tend to go to bed earlier and make sure we make the most of the daylight hours.

Oh, and we take a vitamin D tablet daily mow until
Spring.

I love winter.
I’ve got a dog, so we walk every day.
In November I always go for a few days to the canaries. Take vit D. Order a moss wreath base for my Christmas wreath, decide how I’m going to decorate it. Make Christmas presents lists and buy them (mainly books).
December: wreath, first batch of mince pies and biscuits. Lots of parties, concerts, Christmas plays.
January: I’m also a Red-er, 30 min of exercise every day in Jan. I deep clean the house, repair what needs fixing, lots of soups, walks, lots of birthdays in Jan as well. Definitely fairy lights and mint tea/hot water with lemon and honey, baking, reading.
February I work normally, but I have friends around for Chinese New Year, pancake day. I also pay more attention to my manicure and pedicure. It’s getting lighter by then :)
March is normally a write off, I must think of something to do :)

Try to make things as cosy as possible. Hot water bottles, big fluffly blankets to cover yourself with over the sofa, plan your evening telly, get some really nice lights to put in your living room after the christmas tree comes down, to make it a sort of fresh tidy but cosy look. Cook winter foods casseroles etc, have hot chocolates and stuff, get some cosy fluffy winter relaxing pj loungewear, try to get out for some crisp winter walks and fresh air. This is what i'm trying to cling onto. I get SAD and am definitely more into the summer, but winter does have some benefits, it doesn't have to be totally depressing

Great thread. Love the idea of making January a Hygge month. Will def do that. I start feeling better in Feb as days get longer.

Pre-kids, I would always book a ski holiday for late January so I had something to look forward to after Christmas.

Definitely get outside every day for a walk and then make inside as cosy as you can. Comfort food, blankets, fleecy clothes, candles, fairy lights. Also I have a hot chocolate every afternoon with nice piano music on and a scented candle. I'm actually looking forward to it now!

A winter holiday somewhere warm and for the rest of the time, my heated throw. I curl up under it, my two cats and one of my dogs on top of it. Very snug 🙂

The cinema is usually good in January and February because the films with Oscar hopes get released over here then. I love the cinema so that always cheers me up.
Also I'm probably the only person who hasn't already seen it but I'm watching Virgin River on Netflix and it's the perfect undemanding television to watch with a glass of sherry (or whatever else you fancy).

Fairy lights

My birthday

Family days out/going for walks in the frost

Snowy days

Comforting food and hot drinks

Spotting signs of spring

Night photography

I'm in Melbourne, where we do get winter, though more like a mild London one. Being in lockdown for a record-breaking time has made me feel more in tune with the strictures of the northern hemisphere. I also lived in the UK for 50+ years of my life, so sort of get it.

Fairy lights: my garden has them all year round
Walk every day - I do this with my dog, and my daily encounters with other dog walkers is a tonic, though other walks where dogs aren't allowed, are good
Log fire in the evening
Cinema, galleries
Make your warm clothes as attractive as possible, for you, not others, so you feel a change from, as in my case, dog -walking clothes.

Make sure you get some fresh air and daylight every day. The desire to hibernate is strong but you'll feel invigorated by a walk or some time doing gardening. You can snuggle down after dark (it comes early enough) but keep getting that dose of daylight early in the day.

@33goingon64

Make sure you get some fresh air and daylight every day. The desire to hibernate is strong but you'll feel invigorated by a walk or some time doing gardening. You can snuggle down after dark (it comes early enough) but keep getting that dose of daylight early in the day.

This is great advice.

Celebrate and mark all those early year celebrations - Burns Night, Lunar New Year, Valentines day.

Winter wreath on the door, different from the Christmas one. Throws on the sofas, electric fire on.

Plant snowdrops and watch for them each year.

@33goingon64

Make sure you get some fresh air and daylight every day. The desire to hibernate is strong but you'll feel invigorated by a walk or some time doing gardening. You can snuggle down after dark (it comes early enough) but keep getting that dose of daylight early in the day.

100% this. We’ve just converted a spare room into a mini ‘home gym’ so we can workout everyday regardless of the weather.

We have to take our puppy on walks everyday so have invested in suitable clothing.

I live in a hot climate but I miss a few things about English winters:
-wool jumpers/mittens/blankets etc. - I miss wearing cosy knits
-roaring fireplaces. We have them here but they don't give you as much comfort as they do in England
-baking anything with cinnamon, it feels so comforting and I love the huge appreciation when you give freshly baked cinnamon bun to anyone in my household
-hot stews. Is there anything nicer than a hot steaming slow cooked stew after a long walk?

I also used to set a goal like do Pilates twice a week or something. To get a sense of achievement every week.

Just placemarking to read later 😀

Some lovely ideas in this thread , placemarking!

I am another one who books holidays to cheer myself up.

Also Hygge down with blankies, candles and books.

We like to try new recipes.

Where we live January is the month with the most chance of snow.... there's been a good fall every year since we arrived. I spent the month hoping for that!

Tbh though it's my busy month at work and that gets me through, the time flies by.

@Askingforfriend

Ah, but there's always Big Bear, Arrowhead, and (if it's not too far) Mammoth!

But if you're So Cal, I'd rather spend that time at Newport, Balboa, or Laguna!

Sun holiday in February - all January you have something to look forward to and it eats up a lot of February.

Aggressively enjoying coziness! Cooking/baking loads (can’t be arsed normally).

Spending time on my hair/make up (again can’t be arsed normally) really enjoying how much more flattering winter jackets etc are than summer clothes!

Making a point to make a plan for every night - movie night, new book night.

Winter absolutely kicks my arse so it is a work in progress - really enjoying everyone else’s ideas