10 Awesome Ideas to Overcome the Winter Blues!

The winter blues are upon us!

It is only January 24th, and yet this winter seems to drag on forever (at least in Canada it seems to be one long white snowstorm after another).

If you add the regular stressors of life, the various responsibilities, and never-ending to-do lists, this winter has all the variables necessary to make us feel oh so blue!

Dark, cold, grey, are the three words that can turn any smile upside down.

The Winter Blues have set in and the countdown till Spring is not having the effect it usually does.

This brings me to a practical solution 10 Awesome Ideas to Overcome the Winter Blues, that I have adopted from reading the book: The Cozy Life, by Pia Edberg about the Danish approach to Winter (and Life) as conceptualized in Hygge.

In essence, the Hygge philosophy is about embracing the joy of simple things and creating a cozy environment that prioritizes family life and gatherings with friends. A favourite winter activity is a gathering with loved ones around a fireplace with lit candles and hot beverages: sounds heavenly to me. Even without a fireplace, just gathering with family in candlelight while sipping hot cocoa and listening to music sounds lovely!

I strongly recommend reading this book or the other ones I have included below, for your reference, especially if you are living in North America and battling this winter and the consequences brought upon by Covid-19! The Danish concept might be just what we need to overcome the Winter-Covid-19 Blues!

The book has a list of suggestions about simple activities that we can adopt to add joy to our lives during winter or at any time of year for that matter.

Here are a few of the suggestions that I have selected and adapted for you:

Reconnect with an old friend.
Do an activity that you loved as a child- there is a reason colouring books for adults are best sellers! Hula hoops never stopped being a blast, and they made a comeback as an exercise idea!
Relax by the fire (or candlelight).
Host a tea party for your family (love the simplicity of this idea!) and enlist the willing participants to bake something yummy together before the event.
Write a letter to someone you miss. Yes, an old-fashioned letter that the recipient will treasure for years to come.
Cook something new: how about homemade pasta? Here is a link from Nigella Lawson to inspire you.
Write your dreams in a journal: think about all the places you would like to visit and start planning your future globetrotting adventure.
Stay offline for a day (a brilliant strategy to boost mental health) and read a book out loud with your kids (shameful plug-in: Philo and the SuperHolies is always an option).
Pray, read the Bible, or listen to Hymns for 15 minutes.
Go for a nature walk in your WARMEST clothes and come home to hot apple cider!