It is no secret that I hate the cold. As a result, I’ve never really thought of myself as someone who enjoys winter activities.
I’m definitely a summer girl. When it’s around 100 degrees fahrenheit outside I’m as happy as a duck in a mud puddle. I’ll run around and frolic and be happy, but when it drops below freezing I immediately turn into this grumpy, depressed thing that doesn’t even remotely resemble the happy-go-lucky person I am when I’m warm.
As you can imagine, I don’t enjoy most winter activities.
Seriously, this is what I look like when winter comes:
That being said, it’s important that we don’t just sit around bored during the winter! Especially since many people feel more depressed and less motivated during the colder, darker months. Plus, there are so many things you do can that don’t require being outside for hours in the snow. So, because you guys liked my fall activities ideas post so much I thought I’d do one for winter, too!
So let’s have some fun without getting frostbite!
1. Enjoy specialty drinks
There are so many winter drinks that you just can’t have in the summer. Hot drinks in the summer are just terrible–it makes you feel all sticky and gross. In the winter, however, it’s the perfect fix if you’re cold. Cinnamon hot chocolate, candy-cane hot chocolate–pretty much anything hot chocolate. Apple cider is a must, too. Learn how to make your favourite drinks at home to save money, and curl up with a good book with your nice, warm, wintery drink.
2. Take up a craft
This doesn’t seen winter-themed per se, but here’s my reasoning: Winter is when we’re locked up in our houses/apartments/cardboard boxes under a friend’s stairs (if student loans have REALLY got you by the throat). We have all this free time we just fill watching Netflix or scrolling through Facebook albums of when it was warm. So why not take this time and learn something productive? Learn how to knit, start scrapbooking (or smashbooking), or learn how to DIY jewelry! When you don’t like going outside it’s really easy to waste away the days online. Let’s use this winter to have some fun!
3. Find areas outside the house for you to work
Something I find I do during the winter that is bad is that I never leave the house. I just stay indoors all the time and only leave for class and to buy groceries (sometimes. if it’s really cold, we can live off of lentils and rice for a few more days.)
But really, staying cooped up indoors can just sap me of all of my energy, since I am *ahem* rather extroverted. So what I’ve done this winter is find some places where I can bring my laptop and work in a nice, warm room with lots of people to talk to if I so desire. I’m extremely lucky since I live right next to both a Starbucks and a relatively short walk from one of Ottawa’s public libraries, both of which are wonderful places to sit and work.
Be intentional about leaving the house in the winter to have a change of scenery. It can be fun to explore and find a new place to be your out-of-home office!
4. Visit museums and other exhibits
If it’s cold outside, why not do activities inside? Check out the fun indoor activities in your town and see if there are any discount times. I find it amazing how often we can fail to see so many of the interesting things our cities have to offer, but often when we live in a place we just see it as commonplace and don’t really go out of our way to explore.
Check out art galleries, special exhibits, museums, anything! Just have some fun learning and exploring the sights your city has to offer!
5. Take up a fun sport
You all know I’m going to say rock climbing, but YES. Rock climbing is the best! Find an activity or sport that you’ve always wanted to try (indoor, of course) and use the winter months when you can’t run outside to be the perfect opportunity to learn! Some of my friends took fencing classes last year, and the guys my husband used to live with all play squash together at the university gym. Find something that you think will be fun and try!
6. Learn to be still
To me, winter is a season of stillness. It’s a time where the snow comes and just covers the world in a blanket for a while, and everything is quieter and softer than it is during other seasons. If you’re not one who likes to run around outside in the winter, take full advantage of the quietness of winter by curling up with a blanket and a good book or a journal and just spending time being still. Somehow I find this easier to do in the winter than any other season.
7. Lots of warm baths
These are my favourite. I love baths, as you all know by now. But what better season to enjoy a nice, warm bubble bath than the wintertime? Light a vanilla-scented candle and just relax and enjoy feeling warm for once!
8. Volunteer
The winter is miserable for all of us, but especially for those who don’t have warm homes to return to every night. Spending some time this winter to volunteer, whether that’s at a soup kitchen or by knitting hats/mittens/scarves for homeless families, can help bring some warmth to someone else’s day.
9. Brave the outdoors
At some point, you have to learn to enjoy at least a little bit of snow. I’m not much of one for outdoor sports, obviously, but one of my classes went cross-country skiing and skating last weekend and it was such a wonderful time. I really love cross-country skiing, and I’m glad I decided to go, despite the cold!
(Ignore all the squinty faces. It was really bright!)
So even if you would prefer to stay indoors, I challenge you to try at least once to have some outdoor winter fun and then promptly go to the nearest coffee shop to get a nice hot chocolate and feel warm again.
Those are my favourite winter activities for those of us who are not so fond of the snow! Winter may be cold, but it doesn’t need to be miserable at all. I hope that you’re able to have a fun, relaxing, and productive winter!
What are some of your favourite winter activities?
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