Top Ten Ways to Keep Warm in the Winter
We had a cold spell earlier in October, but the weather cleared up beautifully and it has been a delightful November. I suppose that’s technically not a good thing, as it’s probably due to climate change and global warming and negative human impact on the environment, but I really enjoyed the novelty of the warmth (does that make me a bad person?).
Now, however, it appears that winter is really settling in. The air feels chilly. I wake up in the morning and I’m already cold before I crawl out of bed. The blinds in the windows have to be closed to retain the heat inside the building.
Here are some inventive ways to keep warm when you live somewhere in the world where it is winter for 3/4 of the year:
Disclaimer: I do not necessarily condone or approve of all of these ideas. But if you’re freezing cold and in dire need of warmth, you just might find that something in here helps 😉
1. Do sets of jumping jacks periodically throughout the day. 100 reps may be necessary per set, depending on degree of coldness in a poorly-heated apartment.
2. Invest in a really big, really fluffy dog. Maybe a Mastiff. Maybe a Great Pyrenees. Maybe a St. Bernard. Whichever you choose, it should be big enough and soft enough to make for a good blanket. Be careful that it isn’t so big that it suffocates you, though. Being stepped on at night by an English Mastiff (not mine) kind of knocks the wind out of you. Trust me.
3. Have a constant pot of tea heated up in your apartment with spare change in your pocket in case you’re out and about and, Heaven forbid, you forgot your tea at home. Ideally keep three or four go-mugs in various locations- home, work, school, car- with extra teabags just in case of an emergency. Hot water shouldn’t be too difficult to find, even if you have to beg.
4. Cook a lot of food in the oven. Stand in front of it while things cook. Try not to burn yourself on the door when you get too close in an attempt to steal its warmth. You can also bake instead. This has the added bonus that a) your house will smell lovely, and b) you’ll eat more, probably gain weight, and the extra fat might act as good insulation from the cold.
5.”Borrow” big comfy sweaters from friends. Don’t return them. Ever. Instead, horde them in your closet and wear several of them on top of each other until you resemble a marshmallow.
6. Hire someone to install a woodstove in your apartment (maybe don’t tell your landlord about this one. I’m sure that when you move out, it will be just as easy to putty up the massive hole from your brand-new woodstove as the nail-holes in the walls from hanging pictures).
7. If you know someone who lives in a really warm house, move in with them under the pretense that your place got broken into, is getting renovations done, caught fire, etc etc.
8. Scotch and other forms of alcohol can be very warming. Need I elaborate?
9. Hibernate for the winter. Don’t even get out of bed; just pile on the blankets and curl up under them with a few hot water bottles. Bears do it, why can’t we?
10. Say “screw it”, sell all of your belongings, hop on a plane and live for the rest of your life on a beach where it never gets below 20 degrees Celsius.
What are some of your favourite ways to keep warm in the winter months?
GREAT tips!! I always keep my head/face, hands, and feet covered – yes, I’ll even wear gloves in the house sometimes 😀
Normally my favorite thing is to sit in front of a roaring fire in the wood stove. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get any firewood this year so we have to hoard what little we have left from last year for use when it gets really cold (probably Jan/Feb). Guess I will have to come up with some new strategies.
Sitting on the couch (or sleeping) with two cats on top of you is pretty warm though. 🙂
Love all your ideas here, Sagan. There’s only one major omission: hugs. Friendship hugs, partner hugs, group hugs, whatever – so long as they are bonecrushing and longlasting!
omg, i love #2. I usually head for the tea though 🙂
You missed an obvious one that involves more than one person conserving/producing body heat beneath blankets…
VeggieGirl- I’m big on wearing scarves 24/7. Maybe I should start investing in quality gloves, too…
JavaChick- Can I borrow a cat? 🙂 JEALOUS of your fires.
Liz- You always have the best ideas! Yes. Massive bear hugs are PERFECT for keeping toasty warm.
Shannon- Tea is a fantastic fantastic invention.
Westwood- SLUMBER PARTY!
I love that, BORROW someone’s sweater….I “borrow” my mother’s sweaters all the time 🙂 And, we have a contant pot of hot chocolate on the stove, soooo good, and definitely warms us up!
I personally like to hit a quick set of burpees..maybe 20. Some jacks can do the trick as well! Good tips!
How about buy a great down comforter and just cart it around with you! I do love my down comforter and I’m not even in that cold a climate!
When I studied in France, the part of the hotel where my room was, was not heated!! I used to fill the tub with hot water to get some warmth! Got a cold every two weeks too 🙁
Candid RD- Had hot chocolate for the first time in forever this past weekend. It was heavenly!
Mark- Ooh burpees are good stuff. They BURN but it’s great.
Diane- Love it!
Dr. J- Eek. Sure makes you appreciate warmth.
Thanks again for a nice site.
Everything dynamic and very positively! 🙂
Have a nice day
Socco