26 ways to make winter feel a little brighter…
“It takes time for new worlds to be born—time and space and slow, sustained belief. It takes courage to grieve the worlds that died before this moment, and those that might have arrived but never did.” (redhot.org)
Winter can be a lot. The days are short, the darkness can feel endless, and everything can feel a bit grey. Here in the west of Ireland, the fields are waterlogged, the trees stand stark and bare, and a damp fog clings to the low ground all day. Even the grass seems to have forgotten how to be green.
In our family, winter carries its own set of challenges and anniversaries. My father died suddenly one winter. Another winter brought the heartbreak of a miscarriage. But there have also been winters filled with joy—three of them spent caring for tiny newborns. Those early baby days were magical of course, but also tough, especially during the isolating years of the pandemic.
Winter isn’t always easy, and as a family that thrives on sunshine and long, summer evenings at the beach, we’ve had our moments. But over time, we’ve learned to understand the quiet season... maybe even savour it.
Here are 26 ways we try to make winter feel a little brighter… This is not a wellness guide. These are some ideas that have worked for us - maybe something in here might help you too...
"Winter is a time for ... repairing, sharpening, caring and preparing"
PLANTING
Winter has a purpose. It’s easy to forget this when you can’t remember the last time you saw the sun. I was reminded of this while reading to our youngest. For his second birthday, he got a little book called "The Farm". One page read: “Winter is the time on the farm to repair fences, to sharpen tools, to care for the soil, and to prepare for the busy summer ahead.”
I'm not sure he took in any of this in ... but later, after he’d drifted off to sleep, I found myself picking up the book to read this passage again... Winter is a time for ... repairing, sharpening, caring and preparing,” I repeated to myself.
1. Read this Leonard Wolf passage.
I’ve been thinking about this paragraph recently while planting some early seeds and bulbs. Planting seeds—even on the gloomiest days of January—feels like an act of hope and defiance.
2. Plan your spring and summer.
Find a notebook, a sketch pad, or even the back of an envelope, and start plotting. Make a list of what you’d love to grow, where you want to go, what you want to do and break it down into smaller, manageable steps. Go big, stay small—it doesn’t matter. What matters is the joy in planning and dreaming.
3. Plant broad beans.
January (and February) is the perfect time to plant broad beans. Place them on a sunny windowsill and watch them sprout to life. Next up on my list? Sweet peas and some summer bulbs.
4. Welcome wildlife into your life.
Winter is a good time for birdwatching. All you need is a small bird feeder (even on a balcony or windowsill). Fill it up, and before long, you can just sit and watch little birds busily flit about.
5. Get into houseplants.
Make cuttings (you could even use our sprouter!) or treat yourself to a new plant.
"It softens the edges of the world we know, and invokes powerful dreams of the futures that might one day thunder from its cracks.”
(redhot.org)
CULTURE
1. Choose your influences wisely.
In the constant noise of social media, and narcissistic billionaires, it’s easy to forget that we decide and control who and what deserves our attention. Winter, with its icy mornings and dark evenings, is the perfect moody backdrop to focus on really good music, films, poetry, art, and books that truly resonate. Try to tune into creators and artists who have poured time, care, and thought into their work. These are the influencers that deserve our precious and sustained attention.
2. Listen to this gorgeous album.
Lately, we have been listening to Transa, a new album from Red Hot, a U.S.-based non-profit that supports public health and diversity. The organization has a beautiful legacy—it was founded in 1989 in response to the AIDS crisis, enlisting prominent artists to create work that combines music, videos, art, and design. This latest project Transa is an album that “spotlights the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. It also softens the edges of the world we know, and invokes powerful dreams of the futures that might one day thunder from its cracks.”
3. Watch "Say Nothing".
Have you seen this programme? It’s thought-provoking, stirring, imperfect and worthy of attention.
4. Read some good nature writing.
There’s a quiet revolution happening in nature writing right now. Authors like Robin Wall Kimmerer (Braiding Sweetgrass, The Serviceberry) and Tristan Gooley (How to Read a Tree) are gently shifting and nudging the focus and changing dated hierarchical ways of understanding our natural world.
5. Get into Substack.
Have you joined Substack? It’s an online community filled with thoughtful, funny, personal writing. And more and more of the voices we want to tune into are getting involved. Just this week I enjoyed Annie Atkin’s first "fake love letter" - about cheating - it made me snort -laugh with recognition.
6. Visit the same exhibition more than once.
One of the things I love about art in Ireland is that most art exhibitions are completely free. And this makes it easy to justify revisiting a show multiple times. Right now, I’m drawn to Take a Breath at IMMA— I’ve been four times already. Each visit, I focus on one or two artworks. Though... that said... there is a piece by Lawrence Abu Hamdan that I keep returning to, again and again.
"This feels like shaking your fist at winter and saying ...Not today, my friend!”
EATING
1. Drink this magic elixir.
Right after the children went back to school in January, they brought the flu home with them. So we now have this magical concoction in the fridge and we are taking on winter one sip at a time.
2. Embrace kimchi.
Years ago, I lived in Poland during a long, freezing winter and learned to love sauerkraut— These days, we’ve shifted to kimchi (especially this one). Tangy, sour, spicy, and fresh, it feels like the perfect antidote to winter gloom.
3. Buy and use frozen berries.
There’s something defiant about throwing a splash of bright red berries into your winter morning. A cherry smoothie or a dollop of raspberry chia jam on porridge feels like shaking your fist at winter and saying,“Not today, my friend.”
4. Make marmalade from scratch.
Yes, it’s tedious and takes forever. But there’s something about filling the kitchen with the warm, citrus aroma on a cold January day that pulls me back in every winter.
5. Get good at meal planning.
Oh but hear me out at least — I used to roll my eyes at the smug self-satisfied meal prep people too. It felt joyless and brought to mind sad-looking days-old food stacked in bleak fridges. (Yes, I blame Leo Varadkar, too). But component meal prep is different (thank you, Caro Chambers) Winter isn’t the time for quick salads or throw-together meals. It’s the era of root vegetables, slow stews, and soups—and these things take time. Who has 45 minutes on a Tuesday to roast a butternut squash? Cook components like grains, roasted root vegetables, and prepare some sauces and pestos ahead of time —it’s like giving yourself a head start every weeknight.
6. Stock up on tinned mackerel.
It’s affordable, packed with omega-3s, and sustainably sourced.
"Soon, just like the cold water swimming fanatics - you’ll be raving smugly to everyone you meet about the mood-boosting benefits of cold water."
INDOORS
1. Light candles, candles, and more candles. You know this - we don’t need to explain any more.
2. Take a seaweed bath at home (with a candle, of course).
The seaweed softens your skin and soothes sore muscles... it feels indulgent and grounding at the same time.
3. Try cold water swimming—or a cold shower.
If plunging into the cold sea isn’t geographically an option, try this: at the end of your shower, turn the water to cold for 15 seconds. Gradually build up to 30 seconds, then a minute. It’s invigorating, and soon, just like the cold water swimming fanatics - you’ll be raving smugly to everyone you meet about the mood-boosting benefits of cold water.
4. Burn incense or essential oils.
Never underestimate the power of smell. A beautiful smell can relax you after a long day, energize you during the morning slump, or even help you focus while working. Right now, we are using lots of Geranium oil, but anything that feels bright, fresh or comforting works.
5. Play board games or cards.
Pull out some board games and cards. In our house, Uno is the great equalizer—simple enough for the youngest players but competitive enough to keep the adults engaged.
"Winter reveals so much about trees that you might miss during other seasons. Without leaves, you can see the way their branches twist and lean, reaching across roads and into the sky."
OUTDOORS
1. Take a moment to look up.
One of the quiet gifts of winter is how early it gets dark. You don’t have to wait until bedtime to enjoy the night sky. Recently, we marveled at the full Wolf Moon and even spotted Mars glowing nearby. On a cold, clear night, there’s something inspiring about standing in the cold fresh air and looking up at the sky together.
2. Learn to read trees.
Winter reveals so much about trees that you might miss during other seasons. Without leaves, you can see the way their branches twist and lean, reaching across roads and into the sky. I love to look for the tiny buds already there, quietly waiting for spring. It’s a little reminder that life is still moving forward, even in the coldest months.
3. Try new walks.
In the gaps between the snow and ice and red wind warning, we’ve been trying to explore new trails. With young children we are not exactly scaling mountains, but they love to feel like explorers and don't realise we’re secretly “training” them for longer hikes in the future. (We recently tried the Drumleen Loop Walk.)
4. Saunas are the ultimate winter indulgence.
Ideally break your sauna with a jump into the cold Atlantic for the ultimate reset button. More than any spa visit - you will feel the benefits for the following week or more.
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Words: Jo Anne Butler
Photography: Gearoid Muldowney