Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Tuesday Tips

Are you a winter person or a summer person?  I am definitely NOT a winter person but I’m not an extreme heat person either!  I like May and June weather the best.  Can I be that specific?  I like sitting outside.  I like wearing shoes without socks.  I like not needing a jacket.  But, when I start hating winter I try to think of all the good things about the season.  There are no mosquitos right now.  Chapstick won’t melt in your car.  You can leave groceries in your car for longer because it feels like a freezer outside. I can wear my rule of three layers of clothing easily.  

And, in the end, I really value living somewhere with four distinct seasons.  And, let’s face it, I’m only in Kentucky so it could be a whole lot worse!

So, let’s embrace the rest of this season, my friends who live in cold climates.  Let’s enjoy some hygge and some fika, o.k.?  

HYGGE=a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.  

FIKA=a part of the Swedish culture that pertains to making time for sharing a cup of coffee or tea and a little something to eat with friends and colleagues.  

So, I think Denmark, Norway, and Sweden know a little about cold weather!

-Make it a point to invite friends to share a coffee at your home or at a coffee shop.  Maybe do this on a weekday to make the week feel more fun!

-Buy a new to you tea and try to enjoy an extra cup of something warm when you get home in the afternoon.

-In Germany they tend to do a 3 p.m. ish coffee and piece of cake.  That sounds like a nice thing to do with family or friends.

-Enjoy your cozy slippers or socks and your cozy blankets.  

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-Light your candles.  Everyone looks better by candlelight!

-Make your beverages at home a little more special with some whipped cream.  I like a decaf coffee in the evenings and these are two of my favorite teas.  The Chai is caffeinated, so be careful if you are drinking tea close to bedtime. 

-This is a great time of year for hot chocolate!  I found dark hot chocolate!  I sometimes make a “mocha joe” and put half of a packet of this in my coffee. 

-Bake something new to you.  These are my hawaiian sliders but on hawaiian crescent roll dough.  This is also a great time of year to bake bread, make soups, and any kind of comfort food.  

-Play a game with your family or invite friends over to play.

-Take lots of naps and snuggle with your pets.

-Get outside even if it’s only for a 10 minute walk. 

-When it has been days since you have seen the sun and it’s finally sunny, drop everything and get outside.  You need that vitamin D even if it’s cold vitamin D!

-Use the extra indoor time to declutter, catch up on reading, movie and t.v. watching.  

-When you go outside, cover all of your skin and you won’t feel as cold.  A hat really does help – your parents were right!  So, find a cute hat!  

-Remember that the shortest day of the year December 20 is way past us!  It is now staying light out as much as 30 minutes later!

-Wear cozy fabrics.  

-Decorate for Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day.  It adds some winter fun and whimsy.

-Groundhog Day is coming up!  Maybe have a Groundhog Day dinner and reveal whether he sees his shadow or not.  

What do you think?  How do you survive winter?  Or, do you love it?  

Thanks for reading!

Amy 

16 thoughts on “How to Enjoy Winter More!”

  2. I love the cold weather. We are in Texas so cold weather days aren’t everyday even in winter time. It can fluctuate in any given day 35 degrees! I don’t like when it is windy and cold though! Takes that cold to a whole other level! This morning it is about 38 with 20 mile winds! Cold!

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  3. I love all of your tips here. I really like what you said about embracing all four seasons. I could always use a little coffee or tea around 3. Thanks for sharing Amy!

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  4. This is absolutely how I try to thrive in winter! I think here in Cumbria we get very similar weather and light to Southern Scandinavia, so I aim to channel Hygge and cosy best I can! I loved the slippers and blanket photo and the photo of your lovely chocolate lab. Hot choc, baked goods – yummo! I wish I could invite you over for an afternoon coffee and cake like the Swedes do (I used to work for Swedish Enterprise and believe me – they roll out the cake and coffee A LOT) – I hope you are coping ok with your grief. It is always there I just hope you are finding little ways to make it easier. J xx

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    1. Yes! I bet you are very similar. Thank you. Cake and coffee should be enjoyed on a regular basis! There is a new round trip flight from Nashville, Tennessee to London on British airways and it is cheap! So tempting!

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  5. I love these tips. I used to think it was all downhill after Christmas but these tips help me enjoy winter a bit more. I like the idea of doing Hawaiian sliders in crescent rolls! Great Super Bowl party dish idea!

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I used to feel that way, too. Now I’m more able to embrace the minimalism of January! Yes, they would be great for super bowl and you can make them smaller.

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  6. In my heart I’m a summer girl!!! I love those hot days!! Watering the flowers in the morning with coffee is my absolute favorite!! But…. I live in Michigan and winter is cold and long!!! I’m learning to embrace it and add way more cozy during January through March! Thanks for the cozy inspiration Amy!😊😊

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    1. Me too! Flip flops all the time! Coffee on the patio! But the winter helps us to appreciate the summer even more. Michigan is perfect in the summer and I love coming there. We like the New Buffalo/Sawyer area and I think I prefer Lake Michigan to the ocean! I will try to take my own advice as we have our coldest day of the year tomorrow!

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