Now that the holiday season is drawing to a close, the excitement and festivity that accompanies it usually slows to a depressing halt. We face several months of grey cold, hazy wintertime, and waiting for spring. But this isn't how it should be! Even if the holidays are over, we should still enjoy the remaining winter months to their fullest. Stop longing for flowers and rays of sunshine: instead, cozy up by the fireplace with a cup of tea and a good winter read, and enjoy January and February!
Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. When I'm in denial after Christmas Day, and feel like tearing down all my decorations would just be too depressing, I suddenly realise that I should simply celebrate the twelve days of Christmas! This traditional celebration lasts from December 25 to January 5, and includes gift-giving either just on Christmas, on each of the twelve days, or just on the Twelfth Night. Whether you want to draw out your gift-giving for the holidays or just do something special and festive each day (Bake a new type of Christmas cookie! Keep listening to Christmas carols! Make some decorations for next year!), this is the perfect excuse.
photo: scotchandscones
Don't toss your decorations. Sure, big red bows and jingle bells can go back in storage boxes, but keep your Christmas lights, wreaths, and tree! Natural decorations with pine green, snow white, ivory, deep brown, and burlap colours are fitting for the entire winter season. Christmas lights can be used practically anywhere in your home for soft lighting: I have lights placed on top of the cabinets in my kitchen, draped from the ceiling above my bar, entwined through the headboard on my bed, and roped around my floor-length mirror. Additionally, some decorations (like paper snowflakes hung in the window, a boxwood wreath, or pine clippings tied with white ribbon) don't need to be restricted to Christmastime, but make beautiful decorations throughout winter. One of my favourite wintertime home decorations is my starlight, which I found after seeing similar lights at a Christkindl market in Chicago. Wooden dala horses also make wonderful wintertime folk decorations.
photo: werenna's warehouse
Enjoy unique wintertime crafts and foods. One of the things I'm doing this week is creating soy candles using dried fir needles from my Christmas tree and pine fragrance oils. I'm also going to make pinecone garlands to keep around the house for the remainder of winter. Keep pinecones in natural white baskets in the lavatory or on a side-table. Experiment with making your own nourishing, natural soaps and lotions with a pine scent. Apply flattened pine needles to glass votives. Enjoy the flavourful dishes and drinks of the season: this is the time of the year for warm spices, roasted meats, and root vegetables. Bake up some shepherd's pie or root vegetable pie, and use blood orange in a salad. Make rosettes (a traditional Swedish recipe) with lots of powdered sugar. Indulge in some of winter's dark, sweet, and spicy craft beers: Williamsburg Alewerks Coffeehouse Stout, Star Hill Snow Blind, and Harpoon Winter Warmer are a few of my favourites. These are things you can really only enjoy during the cold months!
Cuddle up next to the fireplace with a good winter read. If you're lucky enough to have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, enjoy it while you can! Pick up one of our favourite winter reads (His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, A Song of Ice and Fire by George Martin, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling), brew a pot of black tea, and find a comfy spot by the fire. Don't forget a big cozy sweater!
Listen to beautiful, reflective music.We love unusual and desolate folk music anyway, but this is the perfect season to enjoy artists like Sigur Ros (an Icelandic folk band), Balmorhea, or more mainstream artists like Mumford & Sons and Simon & Garfunkel. This powerful and inspiring music reminds us of cold woodlands, untouched lands, the northern lights, and pagan rituals.
Get outside. The plausibility of this might depend on where you live, but if at all possible, try to spend some time out in the snow and cold! Hunt for pinecones in the woods, go on a hike, spend an hour ice-skating, throw snowballs for your puppy to (try to) catch! It might not be as comfortable as a day at the beach, but bundling up for a nippy afternoon in the frost-covered woods can be magical and exhilarating. And you always have a hot cup of cocoa next to the fireplace to look forward to upon your return!
photo: travel marvel
Don't waste these beautiful, desolate winter days pining for spring. Embrace the enchantment of winter while you can, and let spring come in its own time. For now, gaze at the clear stars on a night following snowfall, light a pine-scented candle, and fall asleep next to the fireplace.
Elephantine is one of my favorite jewelry stores. The delicate, tiny-as-can-be style of everything from the charms to the details on a ring brings an ultra-feminine vibe to a modern look.
Edor has a similar aesthetic but specializes in geometric designs.
Jools sells jewelry with very unique and very quirky designs. Here you can get everything from earrings shaped like PacMan to a gold Shetland sheepdog-shaped pendant.
Contempo is a jewelry design company selling beautiful, colorful pieces predominantly featuring pyrite and freshwater pearls.
Fawn and Rose is THE shop of choice for those seeking triangular necklaces and rings.
Sevenstarz is a British company selling cute animal-shaped pendants in silver and gold.
Matoto has absolutely adorable charms, from owls to giraffes to a tiny sterling silver paper airplane charm!
Step 1: Make oatmeal (I prefer mixing the oats with milk instead of water). This is a life skill. If you can make pasta you can make oatmeal. Put oatmeal and water/milk in a pot (read the oatmeal package for correct ratio instructions). Turn on the heat and be sure to stir occasionally until desired texture. As you cook the oatmeal, spice it:
Add a dash of any/all of the following:
- cinnamon
- ginger
- cardamom
- cloves
- brown sugar
- vanilla extract (go easy on this one!)
Step 2: Once it's done, top with walnuts and pomegranate seeds. YUM!!
'Tis the season! We're officially into December, and personally I've started listening to a great deal of Christmas music. I thought it'd be fun to put together a mix for you guys - a blend of classical, alternative, and pop tunes to get you in the holiday mood.
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