We spent an entire month celebrating Advent, then Christmas and then a few day for New Years. Now that the Holidays are behind us we are left with the cold winter months.
For a lot of us, these few month will be dark, cold, and snowy, causing us to lose the joy and cheerfulness we had just a few weeks ago.
So how do we overcome the winter blues? By making it something to celebrate of course!
Why Celebrate Winter?
If you’re not a cold loving, snow enjoying person, you may be questioning why you would even want to celebrate winter at all.
Well…
Winter Produces Rest
Winter is a time for the earth to rest. The coldness and the snow allows plants to go into a state of dormancy, while their roots continue to thrive, and keep the plants alive. This allows the plants to be ready to produce come spring time.1
Just like our native plants, we can take advantage of this time, and learn to rest as well. We are not made to keep going, and going, and going…. We need rest too!
Celebrating Winter Puts Us in a Good Mindset
I’m someone who tries to find the joy in every season that we’re in. I can’t control the weather, but I can control how I respond to it.
Finding little ways to celebrate winter instead of dreading it, will most definitely make these few months enjoyable….and maybe even something you look forward to.
We talked about true joy in Advent a few weeks ago, and how it doesn’t depend on circumstances. Allowing God to give you this joy and learning to be content, plays a big role in being able to be happy in all seasons.
*Click Here to read more about this Joy.
Don’t Forget to Subscribe to Get the Latest Updates!
How Do We Celebrate Winter?
Celebrating winter, simply means finding hobbies, routines, and little things throughout your day, that make winter time feel special to you.
Here are 15 ideas for you to try this winter:
#1. Start a New Project
If you have a hobby you like, take advantage of the winter months by starting a new project that you can do. Make it your goal to finish before spring, and take time in the evenings to work on it, or whenever you can.
This gives you something creative to do, instead of or while watching TV at the end of your day. Helping you to beat those winter blues.
#2. Start a new hobby.
Maybe you don’t have a hobby you like to do, so starting a new project in it, isn’t going to happen. Or maybe you’re a little bored with the hobbies you have now…
What better time to start a new hobby than when it’s too cold and dark to go outside?
You could…
- Learn to crochet
- Make a quilt
- Get into baking
- Make stop-motion films.
- Start a journal
- Build models
- Take pictures
- Get into scrap-booking
The possibility are honestly endless, and with the internet now days, it’s pretty easy to find tutorials on just about anything! You can also check out your local library for books on whatever it is you want to learn to do.
#3. Explore New Teas or Coffees
…or any cozy hot drink you may like!
When it’s cold out, nothing warms the soul better than a delicious hot cup of tea or coffee. Now’s the perfect time to find new flavors to try or new ways to enjoy your favorite drink.
Have fun with it, make your own blends, and go to new stores to find flavors you’ve never heard of.
Maybe you can challenge yourself to try something new every day this winter!
*Want to make you’re own custom tea bags? Click Here!
#4. Enjoy the Warm Glow of Candles
I love candle light, and write about it quite a bit on this blog!
Lighting a few candles, is an easy and cheap way to bring coziness into your home.
With the days being short, the lack of sunlight can be a little depressing, but if you light a few candles, you can enjoy the warm pools of light they give off more than if it was already bright outside.
#5. Go Outside Anyway
I will admit, with the wind being as bad as it has been this year, I don’t go out very much.
However, there is something very refreshing about getting bundled up and going outside to breathe in the crisp, cool air of winter. And getting vitamin D directly from the sun, feels so much better than taking in in pill form.
Take a walk, even if it’s a short one, and enjoy the beautiful scenery we only get this time of year. Go sledding, or have snow ball fight. Then you can come home and enjoy some hot chocolate!
#6. Plan Your Spring Gardening
While the ground rests, now is the time to plan what to plant this spring!
Take your time, and research different gardening methods, plan out what you need to plant, and see if you can find something you’ve never grown before.
Even if you live in a small space, with little to no yard, you can find unique ways to grow a few vegetable this year. You can start small with a few potted herbs or buckets with tomatoes plants.
Take the time to do this now, so that you don’t feel rushed in the spring, and you’ll have something to look forward to once winter is over. It may even help you appreciate winter even more!
#7. Have a Soup Party
Gather together with friends or family and have everyone bring a different type of soup. Have a few breads and cheeses out, and you’ve got yourself a party!
This is great way to stay connected with those you love, lifting up your spirits, and staying warm together, while eating delicious soup. It doesn’t cost a lot or take a lot of effort to throw this gathering together.
#8. Enjoy the Cozy Attire
One of my favorite parts about winter is all of the cozy clothes I get to wear. Especially the fuzzy socks!
I love a snowy Sunday afternoon, resting, and cuddled up next to my husband in my coziest clothes. Take advantage of this time to wear the coziest clothing you’ve got, you won’t get to for very long.
#9. Cook with Winter Foods
Cooking seasonally is a great way to not only save money, but also to appreciate the different seasons.
A few you can enjoy is:
- Root vegetables. I love finding new ways to cook these!
- Citrus Fruits.
- Leafy greens
- Squash! ( one of my favorites)
Have some fun finding new ways to cook seasonally, and if you’re planning a garden, think about what you can grow for next winter!
#10 Bring the Outside Inside
Do you miss the beautiful flowers and green trees? If the lack of greenness in nature is bringing you down, try getting a plant for your home.
House plants can be a lot of fun to take care of and it can be exciting when they sprout a new leaf or bloom for the first time! You may even be able to enjoy your plant indoors for a few weeks before planting it outside this spring.
Do you’re research to see what kind of plants work for you can your environment.
#11. Decorate for Winter
Now that we’ve put away our Christmas decorations, our homes can feel a little bare. Try decorating for winter by putting up white string lights, fresh evergreen branches, pine cones, or snow flakes.
- Play around with colors that remind you of winter, such as, white, blue, silver, and green.
- Use plaid fabric for a table runner or make a center piece with blue and silver fake flowers.
- Have fun making paper snow flakes with your family and use them for decorations.
Get creative and think winter, rather than Christmas.
#12. Spend More Time Reading
There’s something so relaxing about getting cozy with your comfiest clothes, drinking tea and sitting down with a book while it’s snowing.
I like to get as much as I can done during the daylight hours so I can get comfy and do a craft or read in the evenings. Sometimes I’ll listen to a book using my Libby app, and spend a few hours crocheting.
Use this time to start good habits and reading can be one of them!
#13. Go Winter Foraging
I don’t talk about foraging very much on here, but it is a big part of our lives. It’s something my husband and I really enjoy doing and learning about together. It’s a pretty cheap date too!
Disclaimer: If you’re planning on doing any foraging at all, please do your own research and be 100% sure of identification before gathering and consuming anything you find. Always check your ID with trusted sources and be careful with the books you may buy. Some are made with AI and can not be trusted!
Anyway, the plants may be sleeping but there is still a few things that can be foraged, such as:
- Rose hips
- Wintergreen
- Partridge berry
- Birch Polypore
- Lions mane
- Amber jelly fungus
- Roots: dandelion, sassafras, chicory, etc.
What you can find in the winter, really depends on your area, and where you look. Like I said be sure to do you’re own research if you want to try this!
#14. Take a Class
This time of year can be a little less busy for some. If you find yourself with a little time on your hands, why not try to learn something new?
Spend this winter learning a new skill, or about something you find interesting. Check out your local libraries, community college or find a course online you might want to take. You never know what you’ll learn or what new thing might pique your interest.
#15. Make a Photo Album
Take some photos of the things of winter you find beautiful and make an album to enjoy, or frame some of the photos to decorate with.
It may be hard to find beauty in winter if it’s your least favorite season but you can help change your mindset to make it more enjoyable by taking photos of the things you like about winter.
You can include family holidays, snow covered nature, your winter decorations, wildlife or anything else you can think of.
Think outside of the box and have fun with it!
We have another 2-ish months until winter is officially over, so hopefully in that time you find a new love for this chilly season!
I saw a quote recently that said something like this: “If you chose to not find joy in the snow, you’ll still have snow, and be less happy.” So try to find little glimmers of joy in the seasons you don’t like, and you’ll soon be content in all seasons.
Have a lovely week!
How are you enjoying the winter this year? Leave your comments and let’s talk!
Resources:
