The excitement of all the winter holidays is long gone, and yet we’ve still got another solid month of winter before we can start looking forward to spring. Rather than spend this time staring out the window, longing for warmth and sunshine, give these pass-the-time strategies a try. I promise, you’ll stop feeling cooped up and start enjoying every last minute of these cozy days.
Channel your inner Julia Child. Find a recipe you’d like to cook, invite some friends over (or don’t), turn on some music and enjoy the process of preparing a delicious meal.
According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women report feeling significantly happier and less stressed after eating at home, compared to when they eat out. What’s more, home-cooked meals are generally healthier, not to mention much easier on the wallet. It’s a triple win. Of course, cooking is more fun when you’ve got a fully stocked kitchen, so consider splurging on some new equipment.
Williams-Sonoma’s online Outlet is also offering up to 75 percent off select items, from a hard-anodized copper core sauté pan for $179.99 (regularly $450) to a Rabbit 7-piece wine set for $49.99 (regularly $99.95).
Have an ice-cold beer. In this weather, you’re not going to want to hop in the car and skid to your local beer distributor to pick up a six-pack. It’s just not worth it. But here’s the perfect work-around: Invest in your own home-brewing kit.
Making your own beer is not only a fun way to spend an afternoon, it’s also economical, too, especially given that you can find some top-notch sales on starter kits these days. Homebrewing.org is offering its Adventures in Homebrewing Beginners’ Homebrew Kit for $49.99 (regularly $79.99). NorthernBrewer.com is selling a more technical (but still beginner) setup, which includes all the ingredients you need for your first batch, for $99.99 (regularly $159.99).
If you prefer booze to beer, try making your own gin from a bottle of whatever vodka you’ve got lying around. The Homemade Gin Kit, which comes with juniper berries and a few other goodies, is currently on sale at Amazon.com for $35.47 (regularly $50).
Binge-watch movies and series… If you don’t already have Netflix ($7.99/month), sign up now. New members receive a free one-month trial.
Another option: Enroll in a one-month (or six-month, if you’re a student) free trial of Amazon Prime. Membership includes not only free two-day shipping but also access to thousands of free streaming movies and original TV series, like “Transparent,” which nabbed five Emmys last year, and “Mozart in the Jungle”, which recently won a Golden Globe. Then, sit back, make some popcorn and begin your marathon.
…Under a cozy blanket. I’m convinced that feeling just slightly too cold all the time, even inside, is what turns winter’s magic into misery. So rather than allow the chill to settle into your bones (and the subsequent dread to settle over your mood), invest in a luxurious blanket, and wrap yourself in it.
Retailers are practically giving them away right now. Faux-fur throws at Pottery Barn, and Italian wool and alpaca cableknit throws at Restoration Hardware are currently more than 50 percent off.
Plan a last-minute getaway. Of course, one of the best ways to escape the winter doldrums is to hop on a plane, jet to a warmer climate and escape the cold weather altogether. With the spread of the Zika virus in South America, Mexico and even the Caribbean, the Centers for Disease Control is urging travelers to these areas to use precautions or, in certain cases, to delay travel to these areas altogether.
Luckily, there are still plenty of Zika-free, sunny destinations to explore. Warmer cities like Las Vegas or Palm Springs, California, often have deals on hotels, and with a simple online search you can find different sites offering coupons for certain hotel brands.
Wherever you decide to go, know this: The act of simply planning a vacation has been shown to boost happiness, and sometimes, the anticipation is even better than the real thing.
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