Do you ever wish the seasons could be drawn out longer? Like, we’re just getting our pumpkins and autumnal plaids where we want them, and then suddenly Halloween is over and in a flash, it’s December 1 and time to deck the halls again. Sometimes it feels like I can barely keep up!
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the seasonal schedule, particularly that stretch from September through the new year, you’re definitely not alone. Slowing down and enjoying the season doesn’t just happen (although all those people with holiday lights up on December 1st sure make it seem that way!).
The winter can be a flurry of activity at times and then a lonely, cold and downright depressing time of year as well. With that in mind, I wanted to put together some ideas to bring more intentionality, restoration, and calm to the winter season. I’d love to hear what winter traditions you find most rewarding.
Since time began, our ancestors have found ways to manage the cold, survive the darkness, and usher in a whole new year of rebirth and growth. Today, we have the luxuries of heated homes, bright lights, and strawberries for sale in February. It’s easy to try to escape the season and ignore it as best we can. But there’s also something to be said about remaining connected to the season and embracing the lessons winter teaches.
Why not let it slow you down a bit, pull you inward, and stand as a reminder that not everything has to bloom year-round. Rest, reflection, and making the best of what’s already around us are still as relevant now as they were generations ago.
Let’s take it phase by phase and enjoy the movement of life from falling leaves to deep freeze and the first stirrings of spring. Each week offers a chance to indulge a bit, take stock and find yourself within the natural world.
Early Winter: When Chilly Winter Vibes Set In
One minute it’s Halloween candy and brightly colored gourds, and the next thing you know, your inbox is piling up with Black Friday deals and someone’s already posted their fully decorated tree. Every year I think I’ll be ready — and every year, I’m most certainly not. I’ll admit it, part of that is because I don’t want to let go of the fall: the crisp but mild air, the cute flannels, and the chance to indulge in all things butternut squashy. But despite my best efforts to lobby for a double autumn, time doesn’t stop and the seasons still keep right on moving. With that in mind, how about a few gentle ways to say bye-bye to fall and usher in the beginning of the winter season.
Deliberate Ways to Welcome Early Winter
Sweater weather often begins before the official start of the winter season. While the calendar may say it’s still autumn, most seasonal signals switch to winter once the last bite of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie has been savored. That makes it the right time to prepare for the cold, while saying at least six times a week “I can’t believe it’s dark already!”
Scent the season mindfully
Nothing can get you into the winter season like rich warm scents. I like to simmer a pot with aromatic elements. Orange peel and nutmeg or cinnamon and apples is all you need to fill your space with the smell of the season. Or just add a few drops of essential oils like clove or spruce to a diffuser. Even baking something simple like banana bread or oatmeal cookies can fill the air with comfort.
Swap your bedding for winter softness
Bring out those flannel sheets that have sat untouched for months. Layer extra blankets, or even just adding a heavier quilt to the end of the bed can make turning in feel like a seasonal event. If energy for laundry is low, just start with warmer pillowcases.
Restock your reading pile with seasonal reads
Gather a few books that deliver those wintery vibes. They don’t have to be necessarily holiday-themed (unless that’s totally your cup of tea), but cozy, atmospheric, or quietly magical.
Some early winter book suggestions:
• Wintering by Katherine May (reflective and comforting)
• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (folklore fantasy)
• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Alaska frontier magic realism)
• The Dead of Winter: Beware the Krampus and Other Wicked Christmas Creatures by Sarah Clegg (nonfiction folklore with a fun twist)
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt (cold, academic, moody but lonnng)
• Beach Read by Emily Henry (when you just need some faux tropical escape energy)
Pick a winter curiosity project
It doesn’t have to be a big commitment, just something new you’re lightly interested in. Drawing? Calligraphy? Indoor herb gardening? Embroidery? Free YouTube ballet classes? Something that’s just for you, low-to-no pressure that doesn’t require being outside (unless you are thinking of taking up snowboarding or snowshoe hiking!).
Create a seasonal playlist
Build a mix that feels like your version of early winter: calm, a little nostalgic, maybe even a touch whimsical. Some background music for dinner, a walk, or lazy afternoons.
Do a ‘seasonal switch’ corner
Don’t stress the whole house. Just pick one nook — an entry table, the kitchen windowsill, the coffee table — and update it for winter. A candle, a mug, a pinecone, whatever feels good. It’s about shifting energy, not decorating for Instagram.
Set up your emergency mood-lifting kit
The winter blues can strike without notice and when you’re in a slump, well, motivation can be hard to come by. Prepare accordingly with the things that help you most. Maybe it’s some soothing lotion and chapstick, a favorite tea and fuzzy socks. Stock up on comforting books that help you escape, snacks, and puzzles. I like to stash catalogs (that I’ll probably never buy from) to browse because it keeps me off my phone without making me think too much.
Embrace the dusk
Rather than racing against the early sunset, try leaning into it. Dim the lights, light a lamp or two, and let your space shift with the sky. It’s oddly soothing once you stop fighting it and I for one am all for an early bedtime.
Warm up the kitchen
Start bringing back slow meals: soup nights, baked potatoes, warm bread. ‘Tis the season to turn your oven on again. Even just prepping overnight oats or heating up frozen muffins can feel grounding when it’s cold out.
Sign up for something small
Whether it’s a local winter market, a game night, or a one-time event in your area, having plans on the calendar gives you something to look forward to. It doesn’t have to be big, in fact, tiny plans can be the best type.
Midwinter and the Season of Stillness
In 2025 in the northern hemisphere winter begins on December 21, 2025. That’s well into “winter” for most of us. But the first day of winter marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, or as most of us will notice, the most darkness of any day. Throughout history, this has been an important milestone in the year.
By the time the solstice arrives, most of us are running on sugar, recycled air, and sheer willpower. The lights are twinkling, the calendar is full, and under it all… the dark settles in. The sun is low, the days are short, and our energy starts to pull inward — even if the world keeps asking for more.
This stretch — from the solstice through January — can be beautiful, yes, but it can also feel heavy. It’s a time when seasonal depression tends to creep in, when the buzz of the holidays starts to wear thin, and the cold feels more like a presence than a Christmas card backdrop. It’s also, throughout history, one of the most spiritually active times of the year.
Across cultures, midwinter has always been a time to honor the dark and celebrate endurance. The Yule log was burned to bring warmth and luck. Hanukkah’s candles are lit for eight nights in defiance of darkness. China’s Dongzhi Festival gathers families around hot, nourishing food, marking the point when light slowly begins to return. Our ancestors had the right idea, to make the effort to bring in more light and keep it going. Because once you’ve made it through the longest night, every day brings just a little more sunlight.
Here are a few ways to ease into that energy:
Warm up with a soothing bath
My bathtub is probably the most underused space in my house. For many years I craved having a tub to soak in and now that it’s here, I seemingly never have time to enjoy it. I always think “I don’t have time to fill the tub and sit in it. But would you believe it takes less than 15 minutes to fill a tub and a soak doesn’t need to be more than 30 minutes (although why not go for a full hour?) And if you’re paranoid like I am that you’re wasting water and being a bad human, let go of the guilt. A bath is usually the equivalent of two showers, that’s it! So light the candles, pour the wine or soothing tea and bring in a book for a good soak. Add epsom salt to help with those body aches that always seem to feel worse in cold weather.
Light things on purpose
Soy candles, extra lamps with a warm LED bulb, a small string of fairy lights you never took down, there’s plenty of ways to minimize the darkness. Investing in a sunlight lamp to boost your mood is a good use of those holiday gift cards. Our ancient ancestors sought out light this season, and will still need it today to get through the season. If all else fails, keep a heavy coat, gloves and hat by the door and take an afternoon walk during peak sunshine.
Walk in the cold
If you can, wrap up and take even a five-minute loop outside in nature. There’s something strangely invigorating about being reminded you’re part of the world, even in its hushed and frozen state. If the temps aren’t too low (say above 15 degrees F) and the ground is free of ice, it’s a good time to go for a run or jog. Exercising in cold weather not only helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but also burns bad fat that contributes to health risks like diabetes and heart disease.
Make a Yule log cake (Bûche de Noël)
This charming French tradition turns a centuries-old symbol of warmth and luck into a delicious dessert. Even a simplified version — chocolate Swiss roll with ganache and powdered sugar “snow” — can be a fun weekend baking project. Add little woodland creatures or meringue mushrooms if you’re feeling extra.
Craft a candle for the longest nights
The idea of lighting a candle to honor the return of the sun dates back to ancient solstice rituals. Try rolling beeswax sheets into taper candles, melting old wax into jars, or even decorating plain store-bought candles with pressed herbs or twine. It’s the intention that counts.
Make citrus garlands or dried orange ornaments
Citrus fruits were once a precious winter treat. Dry slices in the oven and string them into garlands or tree decor. Add cinnamon sticks or bay leaves for extra tradition-meets-sensory joy. Bonus: your house will smell amazing.
Host a tea-and-mend hour
Inspired by long winter evenings of old, when people gathered to sew, patch, or repair by firelight. Put on soft music, sip something warm, and mend a hem or sew on a stray button. It’s quietly satisfying and connects you to generations before you. As a bonus, future you will be thrilled to find all of those well-loved clothes you can wear again. Just be sure to do an inventory beforehand and locate spares or shop for replacement pieces.
Bake something with symbolic meaning
Try challah for Hanukkah, tangyuan for Dongzhi, or even a simple solstice bread shaped like the sun. These are cozy, nourishing, and full of story. Even a new-to-you bread recipe counts — anything that lets you slow down and knead.
Write winter letters
Letter-writing was a major winter pastime before we had endless scrolling and text messaging. No one expects to get a handwritten letter these days. But think about the difference. There’s something intimate, permanent and thoughtful about a written letter. If you looked through your mail and opened a well-thought out handwritten letter, how would that make you feel? Write a letter to someone special. Choose some nice stationary and seal it with a sticker or wax stamp if you’re feeling fancy.
Late Winter and the Slow Return of Daylight
There’s a certain kind of day that shows up in late January or February — it’s still freezing, but the sun hits the wall just right. It’s noticeable, the light has changed. You can feel an extra little bit of warmth.
This is the part of winter that’s easy to rush past. We’re tired of layers. Tired of soup. Tired even of our own thoughts. But this is also where things start to shift. The ground might still have a while to thaw, but your spirit might be stretching out a bit. Super Bowl parties happen, Mardi Gras is just around the bend, giving us good reason to cook, bake and entertain.
In Celtic tradition, Imbolc falls around February 1 and marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Associated with Brigid, goddess of hearth and home, Imbolc celebrates the return of light and the very earliest signs of renewal—lambing season, longer days, and the stirring of seeds underground.
Even Groundhog Day, which may seem like an excuse for a quirky news segment, has its roots deep in the spirit of the season. Long before Punxsutawney Phil was forecasting snow, Imbolc signaled the first signs of spring. It was a time to observe whether animals stirred from hibernation, and whether shadows—literal or symbolic—meant more winter ahead.
Later, in Christian tradition, this became Candlemas, a day for blessing candles and watching the weather. German immigrants brought the custom to America, where it merged with indigenous folklore that respected the groundhog or in Lenape “Wojak” which may have been where the term “Woodchuck” originated from. While our cultures may look and sound different, what we all have in common is our connection to nature and in winter, our search for signs and hope that warmth is on its way.
Lunar New Year, celebrated in many East and Southeast Asian cultures, also arrives around this time and carries themes of renewal, good fortune, and cleaning away the old. It’s a time for families to gather, share symbolic meals, and decorate with red and gold—colors of luck and joy. Homes are swept clean to make room for new blessings.
These traditions echo what many of us are feeling – excitement for warm weather, the urge to start fresh with some spring cleaning (goodness knows we’re tired of salt stains!) and get ready for all the projects that spring welcomes in.
While you’re waiting to start planting bulbs or swapping out your spring wardrobe, here’s a few ways to pass those last weeks of winter:
Make a “what’s next” list without any pressure
Don’t think of it as a goal list, that’s no fun. Skip the resolutions and enjoy a more gentle brainstorm: think about the things you might want to do when the world wakes up a little more. A few things to dream on. Just like you can start some seeds now, you can also plant the beginnings of projects for the new year. Maybe that’s a book outline, a vision board or a rough business plan. Whatever it is, you don’t have to act on it yet — just begin to play with new ideas.
Seriously seek out the sun
Late winter light is a prize. Take your tea where the sun hits. Read by a window. Step outside for five minutes when it breaks through. If you have the opportunity, you might even tank up on some Vitamin D with a quick weekend away somewhere warm. It’s not in everyone’s budgets or scheduling capabilities, but if possible, make the time to recharge. I can’t tell you what just a few days in a sunny state or the Caribbean can do for your mood!
Make birdseed ornaments
Who says December is the only time to decorate a tree? These early weeks of the new year are some of the hardest for birds to find food, so why not lend a hand? Remember getting messy with peanut butter and birdseed in kindergarten? Back then this was one of my favorite DIY projects, but there’s no reason to skip it as adults. Simply mix peanut butter, oats (a good high-energy carb for feathered friends), and birdseed into cookie cutter shapes or roll pine cones (unscented ones only! Not the kind you find at Michael’s!) and affix some jute twine to hang from a tree. It’s simple, sweet, and gives you a reason to look out the window.
Start a winter scrapbook
Collect winter scraps — ticket stubs, pressed leaves, random thoughts, soup labels — and start gluing them into a blank notebook. It doesn’t have to be beautiful. Just yours and a beautiful (and fun!) way to look back at the past few months.
Plan a dreamy summer trip
Grab a notebook and start imagining something sunny. Whether it’s a weekend away or just a day trip to the lake, dreaming now gives you something to look forward to — and planning it in pajamas feels almost as good as enjoying that beach getaway.
Try indoor herb gardening
Grab a few starter pots or reuse old containers and plant some herbs in a sunny window. Basil, parsley, and chives do surprisingly well indoors and will remind you that green things are still possible (my grocery store produce section basil is still hanging on!).
Create a winter recipe zine
Jot down your favorite winter meals — even the silly ones that saved you this season. Cinnamon toast that’s just buttered toast with cinnamon sugar? That lentil soup that never gets old? Make it into a tiny booklet or digital version that you can keep and potentially gift to others next fall. Bonus points if it has doodles.
Write a letter to your summer self
What do you hope you’ll be doing when it’s warm again? What do you want to remember about this slower season? Take stock of the year and jot down your accomplishments, your struggles, the things left unfinished. Tuck it in a drawer or schedule it to email yourself in June.
Even when winter drags and the sun starts to feel like a distant indulgence, there’s still something to look forward to each day — even if it’s small. A warm drink. A weird little project. A walk in the cold with a good hat. A night in with someone who gets you.
The weather might be unforgiving outside, but that just makes the comforts of home more meaningful. This season offers us the chance to stay in, slow down, and be a little more with ourselves and the people we love, enjoying the comforts of home.