I became keenly aware that it is indeed November, when driving home today I realized it was exceptionally dark at 5:58pm. The darkness of winter has descended and in order to survive till spring, we need to make the best of it. I had Nicholas at the end of October and it was nothing sort of excruciating trying to get through the long winter months with a new baby. 

Here are the ways we try and make winter a little more bearable…

BUILD AN ICE RINK

Having an ice rink in the backyard is a great way to like winter.  We invite friends over, even mid-week, to enjoy a skate or game of hockey. It feels really good to sit in the kitchen and watch the kids having fun and being active.  It is even fun to have impromptu dinners on these nights. Which leads me to…

VISIT WITH FRIENDS

Visiting with friends is a great way to make a long, dark night more tolerable.  You can share a snack, have a glass of wine or a hot cup of tea, watch some reality TV or Netflix or just chat. Sometimes the dark of winter can make us feel lonely or down and friends are the antidote to this! I like to be company ready with cheese and chocolate always on hand.

LIGHT CANDLES

I like to light candles all the time! I don’t need a reason; I will light them even just to watch Jeopardy! Candles create a cozy atmosphere and put me at ease. One thing I love to do for midweek dinners is put out a tablecloth and light some candles for the table. For some reason, making dinner an event, even when it is just pancakes, makes me feel happier about winter. 

WATCH MORE TV AND DON’T FEEL BADLY ABOUT IT

When I am done my ‘chores’ for the day, I love nothing more than to get on my couch and under my blanket and watch mass amounts TV or Netflix. I actually rush my work just to get to the couch more quickly. I do not feel badly or guilty about this at all. I cannot wait to watch Let it Snow which is being released on Netflix today!

GO FOR A WINTER WALK OR RUN OR SKI

We probably don’t get outside enough in the winter. I love to bundle up and go for a walk with a friend or even do an easy jog in the snow. I especially love it when big snowflakes are falling. Getting outside and exercising always feels good!

ENJOY COMMUNITY EVENTS

Our communities do a great job throughout the winter making sure we don’t succumb to the darkness. If something is on like  A Victorian Christmas market or Winterfest, you should go! The Bruce Hotel in Stratford is a beautiful place to visit and they always host lots of fun seasonal activities. You can even just go to have some snacks and drinks by their fire. 

HAVE A GAME NIGHT

Get out the snacks and make sure everyone knows the rules! Our new favourite game is called Code Names. Board games are not something I feel like we have time for, or want to do, when it is nice out. Games are perfect for long winter nights.

What do you do to keep your spirits up during the longer winter months?

A bit more…The Norwegian Secret to Enjoying a Long Winter