More winter coping rituals (Hygge) have been collected to get us thinking positively about this season.
If you’ve read the blog “Winter Coping Rituals …Hygge”, you’re already familiar with this Danish concept of spending the winter season by “creating a warm atmosphere and imagining good things in life with people”. I’ve collected more Hygge rituals to share:
read more books while you’re “hibernating“. While there’s less time in the summer with the extended evening time being spent on outings, sporting events, summer concerts, etc…..there’s more time in the winter to “curl up with a good book.”
keep a wine journal! Taste and rate different bottles of wine. Wine tasting parties go well with fireplaces and cheese pairings.
pedicures might not be common during the winter because we are all covered up and bundled up but a pop of color on your toesies will elevate your mood when you’re taking bubblebaths or doing yoga. Plus, the free massage chair is a perk. Schedule double pedis so you can sit side by side with a friend and chit chat.
cook casseroles and freeze them! This heats up your kitchen and you can have them stored up for weeks and months ahead. Take one to a shut-in or surprise your neighbor with one.
go cocoon at Big Cedar Lodge. There are good deals and discounts during the winter months (I’ve received email updates on these). Plan a girls’ trip, go on hikes, cocoon by the fireplace and watch movies. You can check DVDs out from the reception area. Enjoy a big feast and sing songs with the cowboy in the Buzzard Bar. Enjoy the hot tub. Play poker.
walk through the Philbrook gift shop to enjoy truly unique books, coffee table books, art and travel books.
visit Gilcrease Museum. Have lunch with a friend in the Vista room.
eat more citrus! A huge platter of tangerines and oranges will remind you to snack on these Vitamin C treats. It cuts down on snacking and increases your vitamin C which is important in the winter. Cuties and tangelos are my favorites!
host a “leftovers party”. On the day after Christmas or New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day feasts, host a casual leftovers party. It keeps the celebrations going and cleans out your fridge. Turkey sandwiches! Make it easy with paper plates and cups.
get caught up on photo books. Admit it—you are currently 3 years behind on this. The digital ones are so easy to do. Get caught up while you are hibernating.
repurpose a room. Rearrange furniture. Some people do this to showcase their fireplace more in the winter. If you’re going to be inside so much more because of the winter, you might as well feel like you’re in a new space!
plan a crock pot party. Make a cute invitation inviting people to bring their favorite crock pot dish over for a party. Plug them all in on your kitchen counter or kitchen island. If they use crock pot liners, the “clean up” part is super easy and they’ll take a clean crock pot home! Crock pot parties are perfect for watching the Super Bowl together —which is only a few weeks away. Plan ahead for a Super Bowl of “soup-er bowl” crock pot food!
plan upcoming vacations now! Search for good deals/ vacation packages. Plan ahead.
if you’re not all shopped-out or you want to take advantage of after-Christmas sales, plan a get-away trip and enjoy the holiday decor. Or just go for a food extravaganza and enjoy many restaurants.
(this photo above from internet)
Winterfest!— having an ice skating rink downtown in Tulsa is something to celebrate! We had a tradition with our cousins to go there on Christmas Eve, alternated with going to Señor Tequilas afterwards! Families look forward to traditions.
Woolaroc Christmas Lights. Tulsans go to the usual places to see the lights–Rhema Bible College, Philbrook, Utica Square, etc…but have you made the road trip out to Bartlesville to see Woolaroc lit up for the holidays? Chandler Park is another festive place to see Christmas lights. While limo parties are fun ways to see the lights around Tulsa, plan a casual family night to drive to Woolaroc.
Altruism. If you’re discouraged by all of the consumerism and commercialism of Christmas, focus instead on the philanthropic spirit that goes on around you, too. Have coins handy for every Salvation Army kettle you come across and notice the collections going on. Sign your kids up or your family to ring the Salvation Army bell. Forego the Christmas card expense one year (to order the cards and mail them) and give that money to charity, instead.
Winter coping rituals–Hygge Part 1 link below:
http://www.gypsyfamilytravel.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=8248&action=edit
A good article on wellness….
A Hygge event in OKC…..
http://www.okcmoa.com/visit/events/a-night-of-hygge/