5 ways to feel a tiny bit better about the short, cold, dark days ⋆ Polka Dot Cottage

Happy New Year!

I started this blog post last winter, but it took me so long to write, that I was only about halfway done when the days were getting longer again, and it seemed less relevant. So, I set it aside to finish in the Deep Fall. Which, I must say, arrived more quickly than I expected it to, and I was just too busy to get back to writing. But then, I guess that’s life.

So, it’s January now, and though the days are getting longer again, it’s slow going, and I still barely have any daylight after my work day ends.

I don’t know how many of you have been with this blog for the last two decades, but if you’re one of those people, first of all, THANK YOU, and second of all, do you remember how I used to feel about the winter?

I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t good. Many of my January, February, and to some extent March posts involved whining about the cold and the wet and the snow and the “when is spring going to get here finally?” of it all.

But somewhere along the line, I stopped doing that. It wasn’t a conscious thing, either. I just grew to be more content in the winter months. It’s possible that this change of attitude has something to do with differences in my daily routine. I’m not trying to get out of the house every morning to take kids to school, or to take myself to work (the kids are grown now and I work from home). I don’t have to scrape ice off of a frigid car every morning anymore. And if snow piles up in the driveway, there’s generally no rush to remove it, because I have nowhere to be. So of course those things are going to improve my outlook.

But I think it’s more than that.

I’ve realized over the years that there are things I enjoy about the colder weather. And that these things are generally not available to me in the warmer months. For example, I’m not going to light a fire in the fireplace in July, or wear one of my favorite handknit sweaters during the dog days of August. These are simple pleasures best experienced when it’s cold outside.

I’ve never really had an issue with November or December. The encroaching chill is still a novelty at that point, and there are all of the holidays to serve as a festive distraction. It’s January through March that has historically felt like such a slog. But nowadays I find I cope very well. Not only do I cope, but I actually kind of thrive. And that’s a tiny miracle that I think is worth sharing.

NOTE: It probably goes without saying that I’m talking about simple things that have worked for me to change my attitude a bit, and your mileage may vary. If you have a truly terrible time coping with the dark and the cold, then maybe it would help you to talk to a professional about that. Sometimes you need more than a cozy blanket and a cup of hot chocolate to address what’s ailing you 💙

So, let’s look at the things that are getting me through. Maybe some of these will help you enjoy this season a bit more, too.

1. Fire and Light

In my opinion, nothing really beats a real fireplace for both warmth and atmosphere. I like weekend fires because I’m mainly relaxing anyway, and it’s just as easy to read a book or watch TV next to a cozy fire as it is to be somewhere else doing those things. And weekday fires can be a special treat, if I bring my work laptop downstairs.

If you don’t have a fireplace, a candle with a crackling wooden wick is a great tiny substitute. It doesn’t provide much warmth, but candlelight is just so cozy, and the crackle enhances the mood. I have this maple one that I love.

Don’t laugh, but here’s something I’ve really been enjoying lately: ambiance videos on YouTube. Many of them feature crackling fireplaces, so that’s another option if you don’t have your own. I put a video like this on the TV while I’m doing other things, and it makes for a nice background atmosphere. Here are a few channels I watched a lot last year. Some of them are more realistic than others:

Lofi Coffee: cozy animated scenes in coffee shops and lofi music
Cozy Ambiance: outdoor scenes with crackling fires and nature sounds
Cozy Ambient Escape: indoor scenes with and without music

I will say that those channels probably use AI to some degree in their videomaking, and lately that’s bothered me a bit, so here are a couple good ones I’ve found recently that I know for sure do not employ AI in any way:

Calmed by Nature: animated, no AI, no mid-roll ads
Norwegian Fireplace and Campfire: videos of real fires, mostly outdoors

In terms of light, I’ve recently been paying attention to the sun in a way I never did before. I’ve been noticing what time of day the sunlight streaks across my desk during the afternoon, and how it lights up the trees in a very photogenic way just before midday. I feel more grounded these days, noticing how the light changes from season to season. The sky, too. Have you ever noticed that the sky looks different in November than it looks in January, and that that in turn looks different than it looks in June? Me neither, until recently, and it’s a comforting thing to see that there are predictable cycles in all of it. The sky is not going to be white and lifeless forever.

2. Blankets

Where would I be in winter without my blankets?! Ever since I learned to crochet about 15 years ago, I’ve been cranking out blankets. I made one for everyone in the family, and then an extra one to keep in my bedroom/office, and another extra one to have in the family room. There’s one in my car, too, in case a passenger gets chilly.

There are also four old lap quilts around here somewhere.

There are blankets all over this house, and everyone is encouraged to relax under one whenever the mood strikes.

If you crochet, you might like the patterns I have written. Check them out here.

If you don’t crochet, knit, or quilt, you don’t need to have handmade blankets. I have a lovely wool blanket I picked up in Scotland that is also in rotation here. And there’s nothing wrong with inexpensive mass-produced blankets, too. There’s no need to be picky about it, if you don’t want to be.

Bonus points if you have a hot water bottle. I know they’re old-fashioned, but I bought myself one a few years ago, and it’s been so wonderful. I fill it with near-boiling water, and put it on my lap along with a crocheted blanket any time I get a chill when working at my desk next to the window. So cozy!

With enough blankets and hot water bottles in the house, you could potentially bump your thermostat down a degree or two, and save some pennies this winter.

3. Winter Wardrobe

You can’t wrap yourself in a woolen hug in the summer, but all of those cozy knits are welcome to come out at this time of year. My closet is full of sweaters I knit myself, and I love wearing them, but I also have a ratty old $12 zip-up Walmart hoodie that I’ve mended more than once, and it’s in heavy rotation here during the cold months. So no need to be precious about it. If it’s soft and warm, it counts.

Dressing for the weather means that being outside isn’t as bad as it could be. A wool base layer, while potentially expensive, can give you the ability to take a nice refreshing walk without your legs freezing.

A soft scarf, a pair of gloves, heavy socks, lined boots, a wool hat, a coat with pockets… if you dress for the weather, being outside is not so bad. In fact, it can make you feel pretty good. Take a deep breath. Appreciate the cool air in your lungs. I should probably take my own advice today and go out for a short walk. I need it after two weeks of holiday eating and mostly sedentary pursuits!

4. Drinks and Foods

What’s the best thing about going outside in the cold?

Coming back inside, peeling off the layers, and warming up with a nice cup of hot chocolate 🙂

If you like a little nibble in the afternoon, you could chomp down on a cookie while standing in the kitchen, or you could fix a tray. Add a cup of coffee and a baked treat. Use ceramic bowls and cloth napkins if you have them. If you can avoid disposables, it elevates the whole snack to something special. Bring your snack tray to your favorite cozy spot, grab a blanket, a hot water bottle, and a good book. Perfect!

The dark months are a great time to indulge your sense of smell with baking. If you’re not a great baker, try a mix, or a slice-and-bake thing. My nieces are always selling frozen cookie dough for their school fundraisers, and it’s great to be able to pop a few chunks of dough out of the freezer and onto a baking sheet whenever the mood strikes. Ten minutes later, the house smells delicious, and you have a nice warm treat!

You know what else smells good? Soup. Use your crock pot and have a lovely soup simmering away all day and filling your kitchen with lovely aromas. Here’s a recipe I adapted from one that Chris of Pink Picket Fence posted many years ago. Just posting about it now makes me want to run out and buy the ingredients.

5. Hygge

I’m no hygge expert, but I tend to think that most of what I’ve said so far can be classified as “hygge.” If you’re curious about Scandinavian concepts of coziness, happiness, and togetherness, you might like these books. There are others in the series, too, that are really good, but these are most appropriate for this conversation:

One of my favorite ways to enjoy some togetherness? Game nights! These could be digital (we like Jackbox Games, especially Fibbage and Quiplash), or analog. They can be just your immediate family, or you could invite extended family or a friend group over. Bonus points for a fire in the fireplace, plenty of coffee, baked goods, and enough cozy blankets to go around 🙂