Winter Rituals
More so than other seasons, winter often gets a bad rep. “It’s cold, it’s dark, I’m miserable,” goes the common refrain. But Andy Williams wasn’t wrong when he sung “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”; and now the clocks have gone back, it’s time to embrace the next few months and all the cosy comforts they bring. After all, those Scandis can’t be wrong about all that ‘hygge’ (pronounced hoo gah – don’t worry, we weren’t sure either). Here, we make the case for our favourite season.
The first thing to get excited about is that shorter days means longer nights. It’s the perfect time to focus on creating your dream home…as if we needed an excuse. Start with the lighting. Think about distributing a few different light sources around a room to achieve that cosy feeling. Play around with turning some of them on while keeping others off to adjust the mood, and set the dimming level to one that you feel comfortable with. Go for an amber glow that mimics candlelight, and enhance it with some real candles. Fill your home with a wintery scent, such as a spiced incense or festive citrus, cuddle under a big, soft blanket with a good book, and you’re in for the perfect winter’s evening. Hashtag hibernation.
Another moment to cherish is pulling out that oversized jumper you’ve had forever from the back of your wardrobe, knowing it will be a crucial life line in the weeks and months to come. Jackets and boots too become mainstays of a winter wardrobe, accompanying us on our travels as we crunch through fallen leaves and navigate the winter weather. Plus, layering means you can wear all your favourite clothes at once, so you don’t have to choose.
Winter is the time for togetherness; not least so that we can share body heat. It’s the perfect time to invite your friends and family round for Sunday lunch and feed the troops with warming comfort food. Big bowls of soup, a steaming pot of stew and roasts with all the trimmings are some of our favourite dishes to savour in winter and are easy to make while you focus on hosting your guests.
Whilst it will forever be the dark horse of the seasons, the best way to “survive” winter is to embrace it. So take the time to move indoors, create your own little nest and reconnect with your favourite people before it’s over.
What are you favourite moments to savour this winter? Share them with us on instagram @tala using the hashtag #talaloveswinter.
Image Credits: guzzigazz.tumblr.com via Pinterest & moonandtrees.tumblr.com via Pinterest
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