December

December. Lots of people in my neck of the woods dread this time of year. The temperature drops and the snow begins to fly. Flip-flops are replaced with heavy boots. T-shirts are put away and down jackets become daily ware. If I had a nickel for every time I heard complaints about Minnesota winters I would be a very rich woman indeed.


Nature is dormant. Everything is covered in snow, creating a cleanliness and silence so welcome after the busy summer months. December is the month that begins the season of cozy.

Fires in the fireplace and candles throughout the house. Soups and stews and really good bread. The smell of cookies baking. The taste of cookies warm out of the oven. Black and white movies. Thick thigh-high socks under a flannel nightgown. Hot, steamy baths. Fluffy sweaters. Hot cocoa. Hot cocoa with a shot of amaretto. Twenty-seven versions of A Christmas Carol, including the written one. New craft projects. Wool mittens. More cookies baking. A warm, squishy featherbed. Heavy quilts. Naps. More fires in the fireplace. And all the while watching the snow fall gently to the ground.

Baby, it’s cold outside. Instead of complaining about how shoveling snow is a chore, concentrate on breathing in that exhilarating fresh winter air. Instead of grumbling about cabin fever, take a minute and make your hibernation really count. Spend quality time with the kids playing games and reading. Sit with your partner under a cozy afghan and talk about your dreams. Plop yourself on the couch with a laptop or spiral notebook and write a short story.

Now is the time to slow down, gather your thoughts, indulge in your comforts, and just get cozy. Join me, won’t you?