When you choose to live an hour north of the US border, planted square in the middle of the Canadian Shield, there are some things that you accept.
In the summer, it will be one of the most mind blowing and beautiful places to live that you can think of. In between crop yields from time to time, the city will be filled with smoke as farmers burn off the stubble in their fields. In the winter, it will be cold. Big Time. Record breaking, windchill’s that cancel recess at schools for weeks on end, cold. Cold that kills people every winter.
But until it starts to cool off, every single year I forget how it feels. I get picked up and blown away in the dresses, the heels and gelati and forget that from November to May it is really, really intense to live here.
Bad news for me, the Cold has arrived. Thankfully I’ve developed a number of cheap survival tactics I thought I’d pass along in case anyone else is having similar trouble with the transition:
- Baby Oil – As soon as you hop out of the tub or shower, splash on some baby oil (or Vaseline for seriously dry skin). It will stop your skin from losing its moisture and stave off the dry winter feeling. So much easier to feel attractive when you’re not itchy!
- Peppermint Tea & Honey – I have this at home in the evenings and at work every afternoon. It’s such a cozy & comforting drink, it’s not milk based, and it’s about $1.00 wherever you go. Another alternative to this is just buying a hunk of ginger – chop some off, toss it in hot water with honey and you have ginger “tea”. Spicy and soothing! And crazy cheap.
- Classic Movies – This winter I’m going to start watching an old movie every couple weeks, and every week if I can manage it. I want black and white, epic, romantic, art deco, and over the top. There’s something hopelessly charming about old movies, I want to take some of that dreaminess in.
- Pied De Pepper – This is a clove, vanilla, and cinnamon foot creme that is to die for. I walk tons, and winter boots always make me feel clunky and either over cold or over hot (though I’m hoping my new boots cure this!). This stuff makes for amazing & spicy smelling toes in the winter.
I can’t be done with cold, we bought a house here after all – but I’m thoroughly done with being cold. I’m moving into some serious cozy. Any winter survival tips to share?
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh! WIIINTTTERRR! While it’s not quite as cold in NW Iowa as it is in The Prairies – it’s still pretty gosh darn cold. I love it, especially since I’ve missed it the past two years living in tropical locations!
I use eye cream on my lips — it works really well! I also put lots of lotion on my hands and feet and wear socks and gloves when going to bed about once a week.
And my favorite thing is putting my lotion in the shower with me so that when I get out and put it on my body, I’m not freezing cold! I love it!!!
Well, first of all, it’s definitely not as cold in Vancouver as The Prairies, but I did grow up in Pemberton, and it gets mighty cold up there. I actually went for a visit a couple of weeks ago, and it snowed in Whistler the day we left!
But, hot chocolate does it for me every winter, usually. That, and the let’s-become-a-wine-o to avoid depression. It’s that inevitable dark and dreary that has everybody down, but somehow I just find that getting drunk IS the answer!
As for the movie nights, that is a definite YES YES YES! Although, I’ve been finding myself into more horror/zombie/gore lately. I think that will scare me enough not to go outside when it’s the coldest out.
Good luck through the winter!
I am with you. How quickly we forget what cold feels like? I walked home the other night from school and all I could think was “it gets colder than this?!”
I am excited about your winter purchases. This year I have decided to buy winter clothes – I have superficially froze through the last three years without them. You will have to take me with you to show me where you got your gloves and boots.
Also, I have heard the baby oil/vaseline suggestion many a time – does that make your skin break out? or does that just depend on the person?
I think we should arrange an old movie hot chocolate night one time.
I did the same thing with classic movies last winter and I’m hoping to start it up again. I loved curling up with a great black and white romance
I’ m SO itchy in the winter.
Maybe I’ll try baby oil.
PS: Your blog has made the fastest transition ever to my “Favorites” list in Google Reader. Congrats. I officially adore you. :)
Oh, and can I just say that I also am SHOCKED when it gets cold?
I always think: “I could NOT handle it being ANY colder than it is right now.” And then it gets colder. And I complain again.
First of all, I hear you on the peppermint tea thing. I have been doing that the last few nights. I love the flavor and how quickly my body heats up. It’s glorious.
As for winter survival tips… it gets pretty chilly in the Midwest but I’m sure nothing like what you experience. I shall have to think on it and get back to you.
I am, however, on an old movie kick myself. I watched Cover Girl last night (Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly) and loved it. I’m sure I sound like my Grandma, but I don’t think they movies the way they used to :)
Oh how I love this post! Because even though I’ve almost always lived in winter-is-here cities, I’ve never had to really bundle up until we got a dog. I mean, no matter how cold it is, you can kind of fake it with clothes that’ll get you from building to car to building. But, take a dog on a 30-minute walk and everything changes. Fur-lined boots, snow pants, down jackets, oversized mittens, big scarves and a hat may make you look like a walking marshmallow, but not feeling the cutting wind is worth the fashion faux pas!
I’m going to have to test out that baby oil remedy. Maybe I can just soak my hands in it.
I love nothing more than tea in the winter. I’m never w/o a cup at my desk and when I come home, peppermint tea is the best!
Wigwam brand wool socks pretty much get me through the windy city winters. That and splurging on lotion for 5 months.
And now I have a winterly question:
Is there ANY fabric in this world that you can wear on your head to keep warm but you don’t get static-head when you take it off?
Although if you’re not prepared, the cold can be horrible…if you are prepared and wrapped up all warm, I think it’s lovely!
Hot chocolate is my favorite when winter comes. Now that I have a slanket? Oh man, I’m set.
As for outdoors stuff, I need to buy some new gloves, boots and I still really really want one of your cowls because I think it would be amazing in this awful Chicago winter but I’m just broke right now!
Can we have an old movie date sometime too? Also I’m a pandora’s box full of winter tips. Or a Tardis full!!! Use big uber headphones as earmuffs, they work just as well and you get to listen to cool stuff too instead of having wires freeze and fall our of your ears. :) And “THE MITTS” which I will have to show you :)
In my mind, I’m a tea drinker. But in reality, I never get to it. I have no idea why that is. I’m going to try rocking the baby oil after my shower tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!
Love tea so much in the winter! Although it definitely doesn’t get as cold here as it does where you are.
Some other teas that are good are Twinings’ new herbal infusions teas which are super yummy.
Some good movies to watch, probably anything with Cary Grant (i.e. To Catch a Thief, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Bringing Up Baby).
This makes me want to go home and curl up on my couch with some tea, my blanket and watch TV!
if i ever live somewhere that it actually gets cold again i will definitely remember these survival tactics :)
tea is good, but nothing beats Bailey’s in a great big cup of hot chocolate and curling up with a lazy dog and a blankie.
MMMM, I love peppermint tea. I’ve been drinking teapots full this past week with the weather being so nasty.
Because I live in Florida, I don’t get much of a winter. In fact, I’ve only seen snow once in my life when it did snow in north Florida in 1993 or 94. Outside of the fond memory of seeing snow for the first time, I also have the memory of how good it felt to have hot chocolate with marshmallows.
So should someday I move some place wintery, hot chocolate with marshmallows would be essential.
I’m so awful in cold weather. Hence the Southern California-ness of my life :)
It’s finally getting cold in Chicago too. I need to check these products out because my skin is awful in winter.
I wore my coat today and it was seriously 50 degrees outside. What the hell am I going to do when it’s ACTUALLY cold???
Ahhh, I hate being cold and I just live in Philly! Jackets are fun, but dry skin from the cold is not :(
My no1 fav thing for winter is fleece blankets. They’re super cheap but really snug and comfy. I usually have a few (in nice warm colours – browns, reds and orange!) lying around in each room in the house. When people come over to visit they grab one, and everyone loves them!
I am going to have to use the vasaline trick–my skin gets seriously dry during the winter…always itchy. It’s starting to get pretty cold here, too. But, it gives us an excuse to wear scarves! yayyy scarves! :)
You really put baby oil on after the shower? So you look like a wrestler, right? Muscles all shining and stuff.
I don’t know why I’m thinking about men in tights.
Glad to hear you are keeping warm. I hate being cold… and we certainly get our share of freezing days in Pittsburgh. During the day, I blast the space heater in my office and drink green tea. At night, I rely on sweats and Andrew’s body heat to get me through. :)
You have inspired me to buy some good winter boots and reminded me to buy good slush mats for the new Jeep. Thanks friend!
Things I like in winter:
-Philosophy lipgloss in “Candy Cane”
-candles that smell like Christmas trees
-making Spicy Peanut Eggplant and shallot stew (found it on http://theppk.com)
-baking bread from scratch
lots of coffee and warm socks!
I am intrigued by this baby oil thing…I am going to try it!
Also I use vaseline on my lips instead of lip balm in winter. Plus it’s all shiny too. Bonus :)
Your blog is so fabulous, Kyla.
I second your comments about winter. When it first gets to be a little cold, it’s exciting. Scarves, jackets, adorable tights. Then all of a sudden it’s -50 in Edmonton and any exposed skin is stinging and your lungs are aching.
Baking [gingerbread] cookies, hot chocolate (with peppermint schnopps), and curling up under a warm blanket with a classic movie are certainly winter highlights. Vaseline on the lips keeps them from being chapped, while being shiny. Travel mug with hot liquid for the commute to work is a necessity.
Soup and more soup. Real hot chocolate made from scratch with cayenne pepper. Gin. Baking. Going to the gym for the sole purpose of using the sauna. Oh! Canada! Don’t ya just love it ;D
gah. i feel your pain. i grew up a couple hours south of the Canadian border in way eastern MT — BRRRR. i am TOTALLY going to try the baby oil thing — i get so dry in the winter. i never used to, but now that i am apparently getting to be an old woman my skin is shriveling up or something. gah.
my tip (besides eff the environment and start your car 10 minutes early if you have to park outside) is BLANKETS. Honestly, instead of cranking up the heat at night, I love having like eight blankets on the bed. it’s just a heavy comfort i guess. i know, i’m weird. those fleece tie blankets? LOVE.
I agree with the baby oil tip. I just wish I weren’t always in such a hurry and skip putting it on!
I LOVE WINTER…. Love everything about it!
ok, maybe not the cleaning off my car every morning but everything else is great!
“Cold’s wingman” — I love it!
I grew up in sunny Florida and moved to Wisconsin about four years ago. And I know exactly what you mean– winter really sneaks up on you! I’m off to buy this foot creme as we speak…