I don’t know about anyone else, but for me signs of fall are synonymous with signs of impending doom. I don’t mean doom as in the world is going to end, but for me fall symbolizes a slow descent toward death and decay - towards winter and the freezing cold it brings with it.
If you think about it, fall is sort of like a spectacular show of color and beauty that is cut off just as abruptly as it begins. Objectively, I know that fall is beautiful - especially here in Michigan where we get a full array of stunning autumnal colors. But that knowledge still doesn’t keep my heart from shrinking a little bit every time I see a leaf fall.
Leaves falling means bare trees, which mean winter, frosty temperatures, and no more green. All of this leads to a rather dead-looking, dreary, and cold world for the duration of the winter.
In the chance that some of you might share some of the same bittersweet feelings for fall, here are some of my tips for how you can use fall to prepare for winter. (And if it seems like I’m taking this too seriously, well, I am. Because winter is serious business).
1. Bring on the Sweaters
Fall and winter bring with them colder temperatures, and with those colder temperatures comes the need to bundle. So prepare your warm clothes supply! They don’t have to be sweaters (though you are prepping for sweater weather), but they should make you feel rather warm and fuzzy inside when you wear them. Sweaters, sweatshirts, fuzzy jackets, fuzzy pajama pants, fuzzy socks, and fuzzy slippers are all quite lovely benefits of enduring the winter. And they have the added benefit of keeping you warm (and being fuzzy). Did I mention that the fuzzy factor is important?
2. Get out your Decorations
If you don’t like the gray skies and monochromatic color palette of winter, then do your best to make your space bright and colorful. Print out some Halloween-themed coloring sheets and hang them up when they’re completed. If you’re not the artsy type, the Dollar Tree has some really cool Halloween decorations (I know because I’ve looked) and they’re all only $1. And when winter comes in all its glory, you can repeat the process with other holiday-themed decorations. If you’re not one to celebrate holidays, you can always find an old calendar with pictures you like and hang those up as well. The main idea is that you create a happy place for yourself.
3. Enjoy the Warmer Weather While it Lasts
Go for walks, ride your bike, and soak up the sun. Do whatever outdoors activities that you enjoy doing most because the weather might not permit you to do them later on in the season. Just enjoy these temperatures while they last because you’re going to miss them later on.
4. Remember That There ARE Fun Things to do in the Winter
Although I’d like to simply say that winter sucks and be done with it, I do have to acknowledge that there are some really fun things that you can only do in the winter. I love sledding, but I can only do it when there's snow. There are dozens of other winter activities to do (skating, ice fishing, snowboarding, etc.), we just need to try to remember that winter does come with its perks.
5. Look For That Silver Lining
Everything has its bright side. You just have to find that silver lining - even if it’s not strictly winter-related. Some of my favorite holidays take place during the winter. Thanksgiving (which isn’t technically in the winter), Christmas, and New Year's are some of my favorite times of the year. They are winter’s bright side for me. Once you find that bright side, you just have to focus on it. Yes, winter really drags on, but sometimes the best thing you can do is to try to ignore it and just focus on the positive.
Hopefully, this is helpful to some of you in preparing for the winter (and hopefully I haven’t offended the rest with my (ahem) dislike of winter). Enjoy the rest of fall while it lasts, and good luck with your preparations for the long months of winter.
