15 ways to enjoy a cold, dark winter.

As its getting on the chilly side, I've had to remind myself of the good things about winter. Here's my top 15.

Break the Black.

1. Wearing bright pink, orange and red clothes,  with a rainbow umbrella on a dreary day. There’s nothing worse than feeling like a cog in the wheel of the working week during winter. I’m sure there’s some research done on how what we wear affects our mood. Any hoo I like to do it.  

2. Going to get takeaway pizza and sitting it on your lap. It kind of burns your thighs but it smells good and you didn’t have to cook. The best pizza in winter has to be while sitting by an open fire, bringing out your inner pyromaniac. Word to the wise, don’t try to throw the extra-large pizza box into the fire, it doesn’t end well when it comes tumbling out on fire, into your living room. 

Michelan man is in.

3. Winter blesses us with plenty of options to cover all manners of evil. Bad hair day = beanie. Having a bad food day/week/month = add another jumper layer and a coat. Hicky = scarf. Sorted.

4. Doona movie nights on the couch (Especially if it’s a Disney movie). All toasty with not a care in the world except what chocolate you have hiding in the naughty cupboard.

5. MOOHAHA designs wearable art luckily looks good with any outfit, in any season ;) oh see what I did there. Subtle I know. BUY ONE. 

6. Waking up to a clear day at the snow and seeing it glitter in the sun. It’s like stepping through the cupboard into Narnia… well without the weird animals and war. 

MOOHAHA designs.

7. Crafternoons! When it’s raining outside, put on some tunes and get the creative juices flowing. Painting, sewing, paper cards, writing, whatever comes out. MOOHAHA actually started from cleaning out a box of thread & fabric one afternoon. 

8. Inside picnics. Instead of meeting mates on a roof top bar and risking frost bite, invite them over for a picnic. Move out the furniture from your living room, crank the heater and lay down a picnic rug and some cushions. Simply add wine and cheese. Brilliant (El Cheapo) night in, nice and cozy. 

SNOOOOZE button.

9. Lots of excuses not to exercise. Ok I know this is kind of a bad thing, but there’s something enjoyable about procrastination: Oh listen to that, I can’t get up at 6am to run as its raining, back to sleep. Oh, I can’t go to the gym now as its dark and dangerous outside, just being responsible. Oh the washing hasn’t dried so I haven’t been able to exercise for 4 days. 

10. Going to the footy with a thermos or hipflask, if you’re my dad. There is something endearing about getting drunk at 3pm on a Sunday, while not being able to feel your nose, screaming at umpires, then having a kick of the footy to warm up after the drinks wear off. 

Get your Austin on.

11. Dramatic windy days. You know those grey, ominous days when a  storm is about to roll in and the wind is howling. Pretending you’re in a Jane Austin novel, caught up in a love saga and your hair and scarf are blowing dramatically in the wind, while you’re  on a cliff… Ok, too far.

12. Heated car seats. Righto, I’m not well off enough to have heated car seats. Well, to be honest my car is lucky to even have a bumper bar, but that aside, heated car seats are freakin’ awesome. It sometimes makes you feel like you’ve peed your pants, but that’s cool, because then you realise how good it feels…and you haven’t just peed on yourself. Phew.

13. Doing things in the city you wouldn’t do in summer, like go to the National Art Gallery or indoor bowling. Spend an afternoon strolling the shops with a hot coffee and a mate. Sunday morning movie sessions with the pensioners, or better yet grab your grannie and take her to the movies, she’ll love it because all the hooligans are still in bed. 

She loves it.

14. Playing board games. I guess we have far better things to do in summer, but I do enjoy an old round of Monopoly, Cluedo, Jenga, or kicking my Nanna’s butt at UNO. I also like that most board games generally spiral into drinking games. 

15. MUM TLC. So it’s cold outside and you’re bound to get a cold. There is no remedy like going home to see mum, have a home cooked meal, maybe accidentally take some washing you need done and get some sympathetic hugs. Not only will she over feed you, there will be armfuls of Tupperware filled with nutritious meals for the next month. That’s love. And she loves doing it. 

HEART goes KA-BOOM