I totally need that tea light advent calendar in my life! As a bit of an astronomy nerd, I am excited for the darker nights. It means bundling up with flasks of hot tea and looking at the stars! And the long winter nights mean I don't have to stay up until 2am to do so! My other strategies involve lots and lots of candles and plenty of cooking and baking!
We do Winter Wednesdays in our house. We bake/make something, stick a seasonal movie on, candles. The works. As the weeks go on these things become more festive. But we start earlier each year so that we can savour the apple pies and the When Harry Met Sally’s of the autumnal world.
I find that going out just before it gets light in the morning, so you start the day lit by moonlight and then see the sunrise, helps massively. Even on the greyest day you see light trying to break through. Apparently this helps with your circadian rhythms and therefore helps your sleep which is better for you mentally. It makes a big difference to me, anyway.
Hi Fiona, I'm completely in agreement with the idea of being a tourist in your own area.....and combining that with your suggestion of meeting up during the day. We're lucky enough to live within a half hour of the sea, so an outing on a sparkly day is always a huge lift to the spirits, even if it's cold.
Candles are indeed a saviour....and the simplest tea light in a coloured glass can make a big difference to my mood......always festive and cosy.
And remember...tomorrow is always a different day. If the weather really sucks, don't go out.....search the cupboards for items to go in a soup or stew, dig out the prawns from the bottom of the freezer, use up the leftovers....I think the key is to keep doing, whatever it happens to be!
This is such a good collection of ideas, both in the post and in the comments. I don't know why, but I always seem to want to make fried sweets in winter. It's something I did when my kids were little and were home from school on snow days--doughnuts, apple fritters, fried bigné rolled in cinnamon sugar. Makes the house smell so good.
We met briefly in Clifton’s Best Bookshop the other day when I mentioned that I run a wine group. Next time round, I’m presenting dry “Sauternes”. G, R, Opalie - but not Y! Given the predominance of Semillon, I’m a bit perplexed about what food to serve after we’ve sampled the wines.
I have a Lindt chocolate advent calendar - I have one every year (despite being 64 now), and my partner has a Pukka tea one.
As for cooking a pie or pudding, I just made the ox cheek and lamb heart version in the Borough Market cookbook. I can fully recommend it for a dull winter evening!
Loved reading this Fiona, such fabulous tips to help with the darker days. I’m an absolute summer person, however am happy to hunker down over the next few months, swapping out my chilled white wine for red wine, onesies rather than shorts, showers to baths and getting snuggled on the sofa with a throw and the addition of candles. And yes to the advent calendar, this is my third year of treating myself to the Liberty calendar, it’s a fabulous little treat building up to Christmas 🤎
I totally need that tea light advent calendar in my life! As a bit of an astronomy nerd, I am excited for the darker nights. It means bundling up with flasks of hot tea and looking at the stars! And the long winter nights mean I don't have to stay up until 2am to do so! My other strategies involve lots and lots of candles and plenty of cooking and baking!
We do Winter Wednesdays in our house. We bake/make something, stick a seasonal movie on, candles. The works. As the weeks go on these things become more festive. But we start earlier each year so that we can savour the apple pies and the When Harry Met Sally’s of the autumnal world.
I find that going out just before it gets light in the morning, so you start the day lit by moonlight and then see the sunrise, helps massively. Even on the greyest day you see light trying to break through. Apparently this helps with your circadian rhythms and therefore helps your sleep which is better for you mentally. It makes a big difference to me, anyway.
Mulled apple juice is nice if you don't drink alcohol, too!
Some great tips there, thank you.
I can confirm that the St. John Ox Cheek pie from Dishpatch is an absolute stonker!
Hi Fiona, I'm completely in agreement with the idea of being a tourist in your own area.....and combining that with your suggestion of meeting up during the day. We're lucky enough to live within a half hour of the sea, so an outing on a sparkly day is always a huge lift to the spirits, even if it's cold.
Candles are indeed a saviour....and the simplest tea light in a coloured glass can make a big difference to my mood......always festive and cosy.
And remember...tomorrow is always a different day. If the weather really sucks, don't go out.....search the cupboards for items to go in a soup or stew, dig out the prawns from the bottom of the freezer, use up the leftovers....I think the key is to keep doing, whatever it happens to be!
This is such a good collection of ideas, both in the post and in the comments. I don't know why, but I always seem to want to make fried sweets in winter. It's something I did when my kids were little and were home from school on snow days--doughnuts, apple fritters, fried bigné rolled in cinnamon sugar. Makes the house smell so good.
It's walking that's the major one for me - makes such a difference
We met briefly in Clifton’s Best Bookshop the other day when I mentioned that I run a wine group. Next time round, I’m presenting dry “Sauternes”. G, R, Opalie - but not Y! Given the predominance of Semillon, I’m a bit perplexed about what food to serve after we’ve sampled the wines.
I have a Lindt chocolate advent calendar - I have one every year (despite being 64 now), and my partner has a Pukka tea one.
As for cooking a pie or pudding, I just made the ox cheek and lamb heart version in the Borough Market cookbook. I can fully recommend it for a dull winter evening!
This is great. I love darker days for many of the reasons you suggest!
Do you offer tips on Drink This, Eat That?
Loved reading this Fiona, such fabulous tips to help with the darker days. I’m an absolute summer person, however am happy to hunker down over the next few months, swapping out my chilled white wine for red wine, onesies rather than shorts, showers to baths and getting snuggled on the sofa with a throw and the addition of candles. And yes to the advent calendar, this is my third year of treating myself to the Liberty calendar, it’s a fabulous little treat building up to Christmas 🤎
I’m a big fan of taking baths and winter seems like the perfect time to do this more regularly! Perhaps with a little nightcap afterwards 🥃
Buy a Durance candle - Cèdre d’Argent is wonderful. Expensive but gets people talking.
Walking and candles...always candles. I light a candle at dinner even it's only me and a tea light on a saucer. And slippers.