Winter in tier three - what are you doing

[Cathy31]

To make the next few months more enjoyable? We're very grateful to be in a good situation compared to many - DH and I are both ok for work (so far) and neither we nor our two children have any major health issues. But we're both immigrants to the UK (from countries with major quarantine requirements), so although we have friends here, we're feeling quite isolated. And - like everyone else - we're tired of the restrictions. Both working from home too, so longing for a change of scene!

So, tell me - what helps you? I'm looking for things we can do with two under three (either with them, or in the house once they're asleep). We can spend some money, but don't want anything that creates more housework/ mess - so no cooking/ DIY. New pjs is literally all I can come up with!

Have you already got Netflix or Prime? That's an easy suggestion.

Wait until dusk and have a walk to spot Christmas lights (with a hot milk)

My parents are going to National Trust properties and parks, and there are lots of families with children there. Outdoors obviously, but it breaks up the day and they can run around as there is lots of space.

We don’t have kids so it is easier but definitely getting out for walks and enjoying the Christmas lights. Drinking, listening to our favourite music and eating chocolate. Will be paying for it diet wise when this is all over

🤷‍♀️ TBH

Jigsaw puzzles - you can get them super cheap in Charity Shops - for all ages. You'll need a puzzle-mat to roll up and keep your Grown Up Puzzles safe from little hands.

On good weather days go and collect little bits of pieces of nature (or any finds) dry them out and make a Lockdown Scrapbook and stuff.

It'll be fine - treasure this time with your dc and turn any 'isolation' you feel into a positive experience, it's a rare opportunity away from the usual 'treadmill' that we most of us are used to experiencing.

Can you get a firepit so you can sit outside and toast marshmallows with hot chocolate? Put a string of fairy lights/lanterns up. You could make some ice lanterns with the children?

thinlyspread.co.uk/ice-lanterns/

Sorry - I'm assuming you have some outside space.

I am running again. It feels like a massive sanity saver. Reading good books instead of mindless tv watching. Improving my knitting. Decorating the front garden so it looks very Christmassy. Financial planning and holiday dreaming.

To be honest, none of that is really making much of a difference to my shitty mood but it’s better than doing nothing.

Same as I have been doing in the restrictions imposed on Gtr Manchester since July

We treated dpurselve to the Waitrose 2 for £15 meal deal tonight and it felt like a real treat after the greasy takeaways that are all that's available Round her

Evening walks
More films and destination tv rather than wallpaper tv
Books
Jigsaws
Teaching myself chess

We got a chiminea at the end of summer and have put some fairy lights up around it. Cook marshmallows on it with the children then sit around it with a glass of wine once they're in bed.

Wrapping up warm and making the most of parks and open spaces if possible. Retail is open so ideally plan a route/park/venue which has a cafe for hot chocolate to warm up.

My two are 11 and 13 so hard to motivate to get out unless it’s a theme park, which it’s not!! Easy to entertain at home though. We have been doing National trust and country parks and movies at home. Lots of places near us are doing light trails so we have booked a couple of them. Our local farm park and small theme parks are open, but my two don’t like the small theme parks any more. We ll probably go to the farm. Zoos are all open, none in our local area though and we are tier 3 so not meant to travel out for leisure. I can’t really get excited about any of it to be honest. Our pre Christmas weekend at Alton towers and new year break at butlins both got cancelled yesterday so I feel like there’s nothing to look forward to!

We are also planning all of our U.K. and European theme park breaks for next year, it could be wishful thinking but it’s keeping me sane.

As often as we can, dh and I try to clear a space in the day to go out for a walk for an hour.
It so lifts the mood - combination of mild exercise and the fresh air I guess, plus time to just talk to each other.

During the SPring / Summer / Early Autumn we walked in the early evenings, but once it started getting dark earlier, we found we couldn't motivate ourselves, so made a padct to take a "lunch break" at some point and get outside.
It really lifts the mood.
Is free
You can do it with the dc if they are at home or without them if they are in Nursery.

I'll be at the gym every day for 2 hours and at least 2 evenings a week too. I no longer have a job to go to so I may as well be at the gym instead working off the lockdown weight gain.

Really hoping it will help my mood which is plummeting daily.

Getting drunk.

I am the same OP - family overseas with major quarantine requirements, so can’t see them. I am focusing in trying to eat well (healthy and tasty!), lots of walks and running even if the weather is not great. It must be so much harder with smaller children but wrapping up warm and getting outside is probably key, inside, could you do some non messy art and craft activities with them?

Fuck all to be honest. Sick of it.

We are seeing Santa outdoors which is allowed.

My partner and I are from Australia OP, I know the isolation you mean. We feel locked out of our home country and we have no family here. We had a booking at a National Trust cottage in Devon from the 3rd Dec but that had to be cancelled because we live in Kent. It was going to be our first “risk”, our first change of scenery since February.

I’ve ordered a Christmas tree and am trying to remain cheerful, but the situation’s wearing me down. I had a bit of a breakdown two nights ago and told DH I wanted to pack up and go home to Oz. But he’s just started a new job he loves, and our cats need to be re-vaccinated because their rabies immunisations lapsed during the first lockdown so they can’t travel to Oz for six months.

Anyway, just wanted to say I can relate.

To start off with I’m emailing my (Tory) MP everyday until mass testing for our area is confirmed with dates.

My children are both still in school, although DS school closed at the moment (due back on the 7th 🤞🏿) so at least there is normality for them.

We have a few parks near to us so I think we’ll be heading there at the weekends. We live about 1.5hrs away from PIL with National Trust places in between so we may meet up with them sometimes as the rule of 6 is allowed in public places. Now the swimming pool are reopening I’ll be back swimming, hoping to book family sessions too.

I’m not really a flowers person but since lockdown I’ve been buying a nice bunch each week to brighten up the place. I’ve been getting them with my weekly supermarket delivery but next week when the florists open up I’ll try my local one and support local businesses.

I don’t mind doing things like baking, arts and crafting, Lego etc but my kids are older and they help with tidying up. For myself I going to get a couple of wintery/Christmas chick flick books and a couple of jigsaws maybe.

Finally planning Easter!!

Visiting different parks, countryside, national trust every weekend even if weather not brilliant. Getting takeaway hot chocolate, sweets, cakes, treats etc when we visit or taking hot chocolate/coffee in a flask to have outside. Evening or lunchtime local walks.

Planning to visit outdoor places, animal parks etc.

Walk to the city centre to see the lights, takeaway treats to walk around with. Going in a couple of department shops as they feel festive.

Seeing family and friends outside in parks, taking hot water bottles and mulled wine!

I really struggled with lockdown 1 mental health wise, both myself and dh are working from home and find the above really helps.

Thanks everyone - some lovely ideas here, and it helps to know others feel the same.

I usually love this time of year, being outdoors in cold weather, cosying inside in the evenings - it's just a bit meh after the year we've all had.

So here's my plan:

• C25K (again - this will be the fourth or fifth time in my life! ) My goal is to run 30 min on Christmas Day.
• walks every morning, with DC when they're not at nursery, by myself when they are
• sort out the garden somehow - which probably means weeding, and, since all we have are weeds, the DC won't do any harm if they join in...My youngest is too young for a chiminea but ice lanterns are a lovely idea!
• National Trust/ forest parks/ the local farm etc at weekends, with a picnic and a flask of hot chocolate
• I'm going to write a list of the books I want to read over winter - I like goals and lists. Might start an online book club with a couple of friends actually....
• new pjs!

Someone said I should treasure this time (sorry, can't remember who) and I really get that - I felt that with the first lockdown. I'm struggling atm to reignite the sense of quiet and the relaxed rhythm we got into, but these ideas are so helpful.

Let me know any other ideas you all have - anything at all that's cheering you up, however simple or obvious! I'll probably come back to report on how things go - hopefully to tell you all how much I'm enjoying tier three .

@DrunkenKoala weekly flowers - yes! (I am very much a flowers person!)

@Earlgrey666 and others who've struggled with MH - I'm sorry to hear this. I keep telling myself it won't be like this forever. Next Christmas will be different!

Youth Sports Trust have some youtube afterschool sports videos which I've been doing with the kids.

Otherwise, let's go for a walk...