Ten reasons to feel excited about winter

I’m not usually a hot drinks person, but the second winter hits, hot chocolate is the first thing on my mind. The best kind come with a small tower of whipped cream and handfuls of marshmallows. Is there a cosier image than snuggling up in a blanket and sipping a frothy hot chocolate? This leads me neatly onto my next point…

When it’s all rainy and chilly outside, you’re totally justified to sit in and watch movies – with no judgement whatsoever. Best of all? All the new seasons have started – so there’s always something to catch up on. Movie nights are the new going out – grab a pizza and a couple of friends and you have the perfect evening.

Layering, tartan, fluffy jumpers, faux fur and all things comfy! My favourite piece right now is the blanket-cape – all the comfort of a blanket in the convenience of a cape (well, they’re more convenient and socially acceptable than blankets, at least). It will revolutionise chilly mornings, mark my words!

If you haven’t invested in a slow cooker, now is the time! Throw in some meat, stock and your favourite veggies in the morning, and by dinner time you have the most divine smelling house and a mouth watering meal ready to eat. Beef and sweet potato hot pots are where it’s at, my friend. 

Obsessing over whether or not it might snow is a national hobby. Will it snow? When will it snow? Will we get a day off work or school? DO YOU WANNA BUILD A SNOWMAN!? It all seems so magical.

For those of you who saw my TV debut (cringe), you’ll know what a fan I am of the hot shower. But this Winter I’m craving a bath – a really good bath with bath bombs, candles and a good book to read.

Say goodbye to your PJ shorts and welcome plaid, flannel and suit style pyjama sets! I’ve already done the Primark perusal and stocked up. Oh, and a quick shout out for fluffy socks – man’s greatest invention.

[Insert Rhod Gilbert tog rating rant here]. Wow, that sounded ridiculously middle class. Rewind. I’m definitely not a thread counting, Egyptian cotton buying sort of girl. I am just a girl who has to sleep with her duvet at chin level – even in the summer. Which results in a core body temperature of around 500 degrees Celsius. Winter is bloody wonderful because it’s cold enough for my bizarre sleeping habits and I can even add fluffy blankets and hot water bottles (by which I mean the cats). Who doesn’t love nestling into a thick fluffy duvet? The dream! If only we never had to get out, eh?

I may wax lyrical over Winter, but even I don’t enjoy getting sodden on my walk home. However, rain on your window as you drift off to sleep or as you sit inside with your hot drink and Netflix marathon is one of the most therapeutic sounds in the world. And when the weather’s crisp, it smells so good after it rains. 

We’ve just had some pretty great events like Halloween and Bonfire Night, but there’s more to come. Next there’ll be Thanksgiving (if you’re from Across the Pond or just super keen on turkey), and, best of all, the wonderful build-up to Christmas. There’s so many things to look forward to – advent calendars, lame but amazing jumpers, Christmas shopping, parties, festive films, delicious roasts, stockings, presents… It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeear! I’ll stop now. Promise.