Winter is nearly here...just about another ten days and the season of coziness and gathering in and of home and hearth will be upon us. Candles flicker and their soft, gentle glow fills the room. The fireplace provides warmth and coziness. Mugs of warm drinks are held in cold hands bringing warmth back to the body while the drink warms us from the inside out. Comforting soups and homemade breads are in the kitchen ready to fill hungry bellies. The home is the central place for life's happenings in wintertime. And that's just how it should be because winter is the time for home.
This year, perhaps more than other years in recent history, the home will be the spotlight for our winter season. While everyone should be seeking to stay home as much as possible except for those very necessary outings such as grocery shopping or work and those delightful trips to the park or walking trail or nearby river for an afternoon in nature, this is the time to really savour the home. As I was pondering the beginning of winter and how home should be our focus this year due to the current worldwide pandemic (but really, always), I thought it would be most suitable for us all to share some of the lovely things that can fill our days and nights at home. Please realize that I am saying these things above and beyond the daily tasks and work that need to be done...these ideas are for all that extra time that so many are not accustomed to having to spend at home.
For starters, I have compiled a HUGE list of all my favorites...books (fiction and non), TV shows and movies. These are the things that bring delight and calm to our evenings as a family and I know they can do the same for you as well. I plan on updating this list as often as I find new favorites...which I hope to be very frequently. {{smiles}} You can find the list HERE. And as always, I love hearing your favorites so please, please do share them below. I have found so many new loves thanks to your kind and wonderful recommendations.
Another recommendation I have is, if you haven't already, do check out my Cozy Series that I posted in October. There are 31 posts all centered around the topic of coziness and home and hearth and gentle living. I share many thoughts and ramblings there on topics such as comforting soup and bread recipes, gentle homemaking rhythms, practicing teatime, the art of living slowly and softly, gently tending to your home, ways to bring beauty about as the days are shorter, mindfully tending to your heart, body and soul as well as reawakening your creativity and curating a cozy wardrobe...plus LOTS more. You can find all of the posts HERE.
One of the best ways to spend winter evenings, in my opinion, is to set to work on some handcrafts or learn a new skill. There's just something about that chilly air that sets something afire in me to get out my knitting needles and yarn. I love making cowls and have just started making earwarmer headbands this last month. Now I am addicted! They are so fun and easy to knit and make the perfect evening project. Perhaps you'd like to make some paper stars to bring beauty to your home this winter. We have quite a number of them throughout our home and we just love it! They are so cozy and have an old-fashioned charm about them you just can't get from something storebought. I shared a video tutorial HERE. And with the current worldwide pandemic, perhaps making a few masks would come in handy. Here's my super easy tutorial for sewing masks...find it HERE.
Enjoying tons of family time is a beautiful blessing this time of year. I'm a big-time believer in families spending as much time together as possible...there's no such thing as too much togetherness! Game nights are a great way to do this. And goodness knows that there are tons of games out there for us to enjoy...board games, card games, imaginative games. Heck, even games you make up yourself! Also spending time at the dinner table after the meal is finished and just chatting. It amazes me how many families do not eat together anymore or even have daily conversations beyond "how are you" or "what's the weather like today". Honestly, I find it absurd and heartbreaking and ridiculous all at the same time. It doesn't have to be that way...make this winter the change.
The kitchen calls in a special sort of way this time of year. Whether it's baking cookies or homemade bread to go alongside your dinner or chopping and sauteing veggies for a soup or stirfry, I love spending time in the kitchen the most during this time of year. We love our old family favorites but also have way too much fun trying new recipes. Sometimes we'll do a cooking challenge and only cook out of one cookbook for an entire week. Or we might want to go vegan for a set amount of time. Or we sometimes enjoy Friday night pizza parties while watching a favorite show. Other nights a dinner of finger foods is fun and different. We also love our Soup and Bread Sundays, which can't be beaten. Tea parties are a favorite in our home, whether it's just my mom, sister and me or if we invite a few friends over (not this year, though!). Sometimes we go all out and other times we keep it quite simple. No matter what, though, it's always heaps of fun in both the preparations and the feasting. Check out all my tea party posts and recipes HERE.
Getting fresh air is important anytime, but especially in the winter when we are spending more time inside. We love sitting around our firepit in the evenings and chatting or listening to Irish trad music. Afternoon drives through the country are another top favorite, especially if we pack snacks and drinks to enjoy along the way. We have several small parks nearby that are never too busy so we can easily walk around there and I especially love taking my camera along, too. Even just a simple ramble through our own garden is hugely beneficial for both physical, mental and emotional health. Being outdoors this time of year can be tons of fun, we just make sure to bundle up and keep warm with hats, gloves and a scarf along with a thick coat. Breathing in that crisp winter air is so invigorating and makes you feel so alive. There's nothing like it!
There are tons more ideas for ways to enjoy home this winter; these are just a few of my top favorites. As we all settle in for a cozy winter at home, may we remember the goodness of home and the haven that it is as we are choosing to center ourselves at home in order to protect ourselves, our families and others. It's just the right thing to do. And it doesn't have to be a negative or depressing thing. You have the power to make it a magical, beautiful, most wonderful time at home...the best winter ever. Just be creative, grateful and allow your imagination and childlike heart to come alive. Oh, the fun we will have!
What are your favorite things to do as you settle in for a cozy winter at home? Do share below!
Stay home and savour the goodness of your cozy haven. Stay safe and be grateful for the ability to do so in order to protect yourself and others. Wear a mask and make wise, thoughtful decisions when it comes to socializing. Most of all, keep calm and carry on. Better days are on their way if we do our part in allowing them to get here.
Pause and breathe in that fresh, wintry air...allow it to fill your lungs. Look up at the sky and remember how big and grand and wonderful this world is. Run your hands along the bare branches of a tree and remind yourself that everything has its season and all is made beautiful in its own perfect time. Listen to the quiet stillness that winter brings and be filled with that peace allowing it to exude through and from you. Slowly sip your hot tea or coffee and be grateful that you can be warmed from the inside out with such a delicious drink. Close your eyes and feel the magic of winter...imagine the snow fairies dancing around you and the Jack Frost waving his wand over the land to create a shimmery icy morning. It's there, friends...the magic and wonder. Don't let it get past you. Savour. Slow. Notice.