I used to really hate the winter. When getting out of bed feels like stepping into the Arctic, the dark evenings that draw in early and leave you with so little sunlight you might as well be a vampire, and the rain – well, to be honest that one still sucks.
While winter might not be as uplifting as it’s summery counterpart, there’s something about these colder months that, as an adult, I’ve grown to appreciate much more than I ever thought. I never thought I’d say this but I’ll just come right out with it: I’ve fallen in love with winter.
Perhaps it’s the clothes; fluffy jumpers, comfy jeans, snuggly coats, thick tights, furry boots, I’m living for it. I’m not really a booty-shorts-and-crop-top kinda gal, so the clothes we wrap ourselves up in to brave the elements is more up my street.
Or maybe it’s the idea of cosy nights in. Sounds boring, I know, but since I’ve moved out the thought of a quiet night in with a bottle of wine, takeaway pizza and a great movie is so appealing. Doing that in the summer feels like a waste of a beautiful day but in the winter, when you can hear wind howling outside and you’ve got the heating cranked up, it is perfection.
But I think the main reason I feel an affection for winter is everything associated with it. I love Halloween parties and I still get excited for Christmas every year, no matter how old I am (especially now I’m not working stupid retail hours!). I love festive food, seeing lights twinkle above high streets, coming up with gift ideas and the buzz everyone has in the run-up to Christmas Day. And even after that’s all over, New Year’s Eve, my favourite night of the year, is right around the corner and I’m a January baby, so there’s always something to look forward to.
So forget moaning about broken umbrellas and lost gloves and cold feet – I’m loving winter this year!
It’s colder, it’s gloomier, the days are shorter and the weather is harsher. I’m afraid the days of summer are behind us for another year and winter is truly starting to settle in for us Brits. It’s pretty easy to get down about that.
You might not feel like it right now but, trust me, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about winter coming around again! From comfort food to comfy clothes, cinema dates to TV binges, winter definitely has its own unique upsides.
If you’re feeling a little glum about the approaching months, I’ve got a few reasons to look forward to winter this year!
1. At this time of year, TV is like a cuddly comfort blanket. There are some staples of British wintertime telly that just remind us of the season, year in, year out, and it’s like greeting an old, familiar friend every time they come around. Family favourites like Strictly Come Dancing, The X Factor and all the soaps building up to their Christmas storylines might not be BAFTA-worthy watching but they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside each year and I love watching them!
2. Grab some popcorn and your 2 for 1 cinema tickets, because there are some fantastic movies coming out in the next few months! There’s something for everyone – the latest Marvel character is being introduced with ‘Venom’; the life of Freddie Mercury is explored in Queen biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’; Lady Gaga takes a turn in her first starring movie role with Bradley Cooper’s ‘A Star is Born’; we’re on the next train to the wonderful wizarding world with ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’; another addition to our Disney collection is on its way with ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’; and we’re going back to our childhood with the sequel to one of my all-time favourites, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’. I’m excited, are you?!
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3. Now that festival season is over, loads of bands and artists are going out on their own headline tours in the winter, and this year sees some cracking tours making their way up and down the country. Personally, I’ve got some awesome gigs coming up which I’m super excited about – Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish, Dashboard Confessional, You Me At Six and Enter Shikari are just a few! Are any of you heading out to any tours this winter? I’m open to recommendations!
4. Possibly my favourite thing about the cold weather is digging out my winter wardrobe! Summer clothes are beautiful but for me – someone who’d wear black in a heatwave and prefers to hide her wobbly bits than parade them on the beach for all to see – winter clothes are my preferred choice. Cosy knitted jumpers and killer boots accessorised with stylish scarves and funky jackets… I just can’t wait! Many high street stores are already advertising their latest range for the new season.
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5. Christmas markets are on the way and, as far as I can tell, that can only be a good thing! My favourite Christmas festival is London’s Winter Wonderland, which has been announced as returning for yet another year to the gorgeous Hyde Park. It’s an amazing free festival and I’d recommend it to anyone in the area, but there are plenty of local Christmas markets up and down the country that will be opening up in the next couple of months and they’re always worth checking out for gift ideas and yummy festive food and drink.
6. Let’s face it, from Sunday roasts to midweek stews, comfort food reaches its peak in winter. There’s nothing better than a plate of hearty to food to warm you up on a cold day – check out these recipes for slow cooked pulled pork, veggie chilli with baked potatoandcarrot and coriander soup for some great winter recipe ideas.
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7. It’s the festive season, and that means it’s also the party season. An excuse to dress up and drink up, whether it be the office Christmas party or getting together for New Year’s Eve, is definitely on its way. Winter invites parties and if you love socialising, dancing, getting dolled up and painting the town red, this is your time to shine…
8. … and if parties aren’t your cup of tea, that’s fine too because winter is absolutely perfect for staying in! Cosy nights indoors, with the heating whacked up and the glow of the telly lighting up the dark nights, nursing a mug of hot chocolate and filling your belly with warm food to protect you from the wind and rain outside… Honestly, is there anything better?!
THANK GOD THAT’S OVER. We Brits are not prepared to deal with the extremities of cold weather. The snow falls, and we just stop – workplaces are short-staffed, schools shut down, transport grinds to a halt.
I really hate snow. I know that makes me a Grinch (I actually agree with the Grinch on several points, but that’s another story…), but I can’t help it. I don’t want to be confined to my home because getting anywhere suddenly becomes an expedition. It’s frustrating to walk into a supermarket and find the bread shelves bare – this actually happened, by the way. Not a single loaf in ASDA this weekend. Madness. And I’m terrified of falling arse over face every time I step out of my front door. I’m not a graceful being so if I fall, believe me, I’m falling hard.
So how did this household cope with the over-dramatically named “beast from the east”?
I walk to work so I had no real excuse to get out of it. While the majority of the office called in saying they were stuck without transport, I had to trudge into work every morning, through a very hilly town, along completely un-gritted paths. It was scary stuff, I tell you. But thanks to THESE bad boys, I made it every damn day and managed not to skid all over the place like a less-coordinated Bambi. If you’re looking for the real beasts here, look no further…
I barely left the house all week. Get up, equip self with DMs, wobble into work, hold the office fort, march home again, snuggle up in a blanket until sleepy, repeat – that’s been about it. I only diverted for a necessary midweek trip to Sainsbury’s.
It was one of the most intense shopping trips of my life. The shelves were ropey with items you’d usually find in a local convenience store, instead stuffed with the most random products in a desperate attempt to make them look fuller. The best bit, nearly all of these were on offer – the whole shop turned into one big ‘Reduced’ section! Finally, my years of minesweeping at bars paid off as I practically swept my arms along the shelves and scooped up as many bargains as possible. I couldn’t even tell you what ended up in my trolley. All I know is, I still forgot the milk.
It turns out the key to surviving snow in Britain is buying yourself a funky pair of Doctor Marten’s and grabbing all the bargains you can. So it’s not all bad, I suppose.
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