Brightening up a Winters Day

I’m a summer girl. I live for the sunshine, bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds. I do love a crisp, frosty winter day, when there is ice on the ground, the sun is shining and we can go for a long walk. My dream house would feature a lot of natural light – think big windows, and Centor retractable screens so that I can benefit from as much daylight indoors as possible! However, all too often, winter days here in Wales seem to consist of grey skies, bucket loads of rain and mud. Waking up in the morning to see yet another day of rain is enough to send me diving back under the duvet cover. I’ve often said I wish I could hibernate for a few months!

We end up spending a lot more time in our house through the winter months, it’s a time for crafting, for reading books, snuggling by the fire watching movies and baking – oh, yes – baking cakes on a cold winters day {and then eating the lot} is a great activity! I find that my mood often dips with so much time inside, with artificial lights rather than sunlight. I’ve found a few little things that can brighten up a grey Winters Day and bring a little sunshine into my house.

* Flowers – Ah! A bunch of fresh flowers on the dining room table always makes me smile. They bring a little hint of summer into the house, not only do they look pretty but they add a delicate floral scent to the house. This beautiful bunch from Serenata is currently cheering us up – lilies are my absolute favourites, every morning this week when I’ve come downstairs with Vega at 7am in the still darkness, they’ve brought a little smile to my face, and reminded me that summer will come back…..

* Fresh Air – unless there is a storm raging outside, I try and open a few windows each morning. Even if it’s only for ten minutes. Letting a little fresh air blow around the house, clears the fustiness away and is a welcome relief from the stuffiness of having to have the heating on. Especially in the bedrooms, letting some air in makes such a big difference in the winter.

* Stretch your legs – While it’s tempting to spend all day under the duvet, or curled up on the sofa in front of a roaring fire, getting outdoors is the best tonic in keeping those winter blues at bay. We make it a rule to try and get out for a little walk every day, unless the weather is absolutely awful. A little exercise, some fresh air and {hopefully} some sunlight keep us feeling smiley and happy all winter long! Plus, with six of us home together all day every day, cabin fever sets in and everyone gets a little fed up of being in such close proximity to each other – space to run around outdoors also keeps everyone’s tempers under control!

* Eat a Rainbow – Cold winter days may make you want to eat nothing buy comfort food – stodgy meals, cake, chocolate… and as tasty as they are, it’s also vital to keep eating fruit and veg. We try and make a smoothie every morning – choc full of frozen berries, bananas and whatever soft fruit we have in the fruit bowl, as well as a spoonful of seeds, it’s a great way of making sure everyone hits their five a day and all those vitamins help to keep us healthy all winter long.

What are your top tips for beating the winter blues?