There are usually two types of feelings that people have towards winter. The first of these is a readiness to welcome the lengthening nights, the promise of hearty meals, and the cosy atmosphere brought on by the darkening vista outside. The second is of course more problematic – we don’t want to accept the cold, the perpetual dark, the thought of huddling in the living room from the elements. In a sense, the latter view can be remedied and turned completely on its head with a little effort, producing massive benefits to your general wellbeing over the winter months. Here are some ideas:
Get into your winter food: Embrace the stodge! It’s no good eating Mediterranean salads through to March; winter calls for hearty grub that’s filling and full of goodness. Broths, ratatouille, root vegetable soups are ideal – if you’re really feeling adventurous, plant out some winter veg (garlic, onions) yourself to see that the cold and the wet don’t ruin everything.
Chase the sun: Alright, it might be nippy, but even the coldest days can be fine and sunny, and give you that boost of goodness that only sunshine can provide. A quick walk on your lunch break through a nearby park when the weather is promising will not only wake you up from a drowsy morning’s work, but you’ll get a chance to feel the sun on your face and get some fresh air to boot.
Dress for it: Summer dresses are only going to take you so far – sooner or later you’ll have to change the wardrobe a little. Getting hold of a chunky-knit woollen jumper, some comfy gloves and a jolly old winter hat will be sure to change your mood when taking to the cold air of a morning. It’s only by ignoring the change of weather and not responding to it that you’re likely to freeze!
Make friends with it: You’re sure to dislike the onset of winter if you don’t get out and observe it – throw some warm clothes, some good boots and take a walk on a bracing day. If you have little ones, set them the challenge of making leaf rainbows (especially from maples); the range of colours is incredible, and serves to remind us that winter isn’t all dull skies and failing vegetation, but a necessary process in the cycle of the seasons.
Stretch out those evenings: There’s no getting around it; over winter, after coming home from work, cooking and clearing up, you are likely to find yourself with only a few hours of relaxing time left. If you want to beat the cycle, do any food preparation you can in the mornings, and, what the hell, leave the pots overnight if it’s a question of you or them. They’ll not fall to pieces. A little reorganization can mean bags more time for you to unwind and refresh yourself.
To bring in the cold snap, indulge yourself with Matalan’s Autumn/Winter 09 range of knitwear, coats and winterwear, and get out there and enjoy the change of the seasons.
Tags: Coats, help, information, Knitwear, Matalan, pirillo, video, Winterwear, woollen jumpers
