With shorter days and dropping temperatures, winter has arrived. Summer may be a distant memory, but that does not mean that your ability to have fun is restricted, far from it, you just need time to recalibrate and adjust. Staying indoors for prolonged periods can make winter feel repetitive. Here are 5 winter activities that will keep you entertained this season.
- Test out new recipes
Winter is the perfect time to test out new recipes. Winter can make you crave sugar-laden comfort foods, so rather than indulging, dig out your cookbooks and choose a favorite recipe to recreate healthy but comforting dishes.
With all the bugs and viruses that are so prevalent in winter, it’s important that you eat food that supports your immune system, so prepare foods that provide you with the nutrients you need:
Vitamin C: Foods that are rich in vitamin C include sweet potato, red pepper, tomatoes and of course citrus fruits.
Zinc: A powerful nutrient to boost your immune system. Think spinach, legumes, whole grains and red meats to provide you with the zinc your body craves.
Iron: Prevalent in red meats, green leafy vegetables, and lentils.
B12: This vitamin is essential for your immune system to function and can help reduce the feelings of fatigue that often come in winter. Increase your servings of fish, cheese and eggs to satisfy your B12 requirements.
You have time on your side, and it will feel almost decadent to invest your time in creating a culinary delight. Invite some friends over to share your meal and make an occasion of it.
- Declutter
So, this may not excite you as much as a good meal with friends, but winter is the perfect time to declutter your home. You are going to be spending more time indoors, so why not make it a more pleasant experience? Start at the top of the house and work your way through room-by-room.
Bedrooms: Go through the closet and remove the clothes that haven’t been worn this year, have seen better days, or no longer fit. Do you need the pile of books by your bed? Have you read them? If yes, either give them to friends to read or give to a charity for resale. This way, you not only declutter, but you also identify your winter reading materials.
Bathrooms: Your bathroom cabinet will be home to several out of date lotions, potions and probably medications. Using products that are past their use by dates is a fruitless task and will give you no benefits.
Kitchen: Do you really need all the kitchen implements that you have? If you are never going to spiralize, get rid of the equipment. We are all guilty of hoarding utensils and kitchen gear that never see the light of day, so be brutal. Check the use by date on herbs and tins of food and remove the ones that are out of date.
Lounge: Your DVD collection may have lovingly been collected over the years, but honestly, when was the last time you watched any of them? With streaming services being so popular and accessible, the need for DVDs has taken a nosedive.
Winter is the perfect time to reorganize your closets, drawers, and cupboards. There’s something very liberating and cleansing about having a good declutter. While traditionally people declutter in spring before a deep clean, by clearing out the excesses now, you are physically and mentally preparing for the new year and the opportunities it will bring.
- Have a movie-fest
Winter is the time when we have a valid reason to stay home and hibernate. It’s a period of rest and rejuvenation, so light the fire, pull up a blanket, grab the popcorn and have a movie night.
During your decluttering phase, you may have come across some movie classics that you haven’t watched for a while. In which case, you are armed with a great selection of movies that you more than likely know all the words to. Not inspired? How about streaming some classic horror movies to add to the winter darkness? This helpful site can remind you of some of the best, but underrated horror films that there have been, but are you brave enough to watch them alone? Only time will tell.
- Get creative
Just because its cold outside, it doesn’t mean that your creativity has gone cold. Try something new and head to the Tigard Art Activity Center in Portland. There are a variety of arts and crafts that you can indulge in and experience.
Winter can make you feel uninspired and can dampen your spirits, but by unleashing your creativity, you can lessen the feelings of anxiety and winter blues that can occur. Dopamine is the feel-good chemical our brain releases when we are happy, and crafting is a nonmechanical way to stimulate dopamine production. A craft class is a wonderful way to spend some time developing a new skill but also gives you an opportunity to meet some new people to have fun with.
- Get moving
Just because its cold outside doesn’t mean that you can’t embrace the great outdoors. There is no such thing as bad weather, merely the wrong clothes. Check out the weather reports, layer up and get your cozy winter coat on and head to the coast. There is little more invigorating than a windy walk along a deserted beach, and if you are lucky, you may just spot the gray whales migrating.
TIP: Take the binoculars and go to Depoe Bay, there are kelp beds that the whales feed from, so you should increase your chances of spotting some!
Winter is a wonderful season that brings with it the opportunity to indulge in activities that ordinarily you may not think to do. With enforced indoor time, you can make your home a snug and relaxing space for you to enjoy but don’t forget to get outside too, explore new areas and experience new things.