A lot of us cringe at the thought of winter rolling in – bored little ones kept in during the day, ice on the windscreen and the never-ending quest for heat. It’s easy to forget the good stuff, yet flannel pyjama sets, open fires and Christmas crafts are just a few other things that only winter can bring. With their help, there are tons of ways to fend the chill off this winter and keep us cosy and warm all the way through to spring.

If you’re one of those people that has yet to fall in love with winter, here are a few tips on staying cosy during this year’s chilly season.

Cosy up with crafts

When temperatures drop outside it’s only natural to want to stay in, but that doesn’t mean all activity should stop. Little brains especially need some stimulation if you want to avoid a serious case of cabin fever – that’s where Christmas crafts come in. Decorating ornaments, baking biscuits or even just knitting or working on watercolours by yourself will keep your hands moving and the boredom at bay.

Gather round an open fire

There’s nothing that says cosy winter nights quite like an open fire. They’re warm, they smell gorgeous and best of all, they’re dazzling to look at. If you don’t have a hearth or a log-burner, not to worry – cranking up the heat and turning your TV to a fireplace channel works pretty well too.

Crack open a winter read

With little ones running around, there often isn’t a lot of time leftover to read. But once they head off to bed, take a few minutes to snuggle up on the sofa before you doze off yourself and dive into a good book. If you can’t be somewhere warm this winter, you can at least read about somewhere that is.

Spring for some cute PJ sets

If we’re going to be doing cosy activities, we should be wearing cosy clothes. Flannel, faux fur-trimmed and covered in a cute print are the only ways to go as far as women’s nightwear this winter is concerned. The nightwear from Tu at Sainsbury’s ticks all the right boxes – just make sure you don’t forget the slippers.

Always have a hot drink nearby

By ‘hot drink’ we preferably mean those that are spiced, drenched in chocolate and come with a little alcohol splashed in for good measure – at least once the kids have gone to sleep. While open fires keep our houses heated this winter, hot drinks promise to keep our hearts nice and warm.

Indulge in a bath when you can

Again, we know this one isn’t always easy with kids running around – especially little ones that wouldn’t mind climbing into the bath with you. But if you can take a few moments every other week or so to run a hot bath and just relax, preferably with one of Lush’s sweet-smelling Christmas bath bombs or oils, your winter nerves will thank you for it. You might even get to squeeze in some time for that winter read, too.

Embrace the roast dinner

Roast dinners are incredible all year-round – they’re the ultimate comfort food, in our opinion – but there’s something about having one in the winter that just feels right. We’re not saying to indulge in gravy puddles, cranberry sauce and hearty meat every Sunday – though every once in a while isn’t bad, right? If you’re looking for something a little less strenuous, a healthy roast or home-made soup will keep you warm all winter long.

There you have it – bring on the frost. How will you keep cosy this winter?

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