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01/01/2012 11:00 PMThe holidays are over and it's still getting dark in the middle of the afternoon. Jack Frost is not just nipping, he's taking a chunk out of everyone's noses. I'm truly a summer girl, so winter isn't my scene. I like sunshine, warm breezes, and sand between my toes. However, there are some things that I truly enjoy about winter.
Snuggling in. I'm about as social as it gets and I love being outside, but when the snow is whipping around in mini-tornado formations on the road and ice is thick on your steps, is there any better excuse to stop everything and be lazy? No, there isn't. Being lazy isn't necessarily a bad thing, either. It's like shutting down your computer so it can rest and then restart. Sometimes we all need a reboot to the system. A blanket and a book in winter is all I need for a perfect Sunday afternoon.
Naps. Sometimes I fall asleep while I'm snuggled in. I feel too guilty to nap when it's nice out even if I'm really tired. I've always been a nap kind of gal, though. It runs in the Gribbins family. All I need is a half-hour to an hour to feel completely refreshed. Even a 15-minute cat nap can be beneficial. However, if the sun is shining, the air is warm, and people are out and about, I can't justify napping. Who would want to miss all of that? On the other hand, if it's cloudy, freezing, and people are hibernating anyway, what's the harm in a little mid-afternoon snooze? The best part is, when you wake up, you can then tuck into a meal that you set up in the crock pot that morning.
Comfort food. I'm talking meatloaf, shepherd's pie, chili. Would these things taste as good in the summer? Not really. Plus, they take a long time to cook and who needs to have the oven on that long when your home already feels like an oven? I miss fresh veggies and lobster rolls by the sea, but until I can have those I'll make do with stick-to-your-ribs specialties. In winter I find I'm continuously hungry, which is probably a holdover from primitive days when people ate to develop natural body insulation from the cold. Whatever the reason, in winter I enjoy foods that fill my belly and warm me from the inside out.
Comfort drinks. Like comfort food, comfort drinks taste better in winter. Would you want hot chocolate after a day at the beach? No. But it sure tastes good after a shivery walk through the outlet malls. Comfort drinks come in pleasing adult varieties, too. Candy cane martinis are great at holiday time and Irish coffees are great during all cold months. A glass of Chocovine (that's wine coupled with chocolate and conveniently bottled for your drinking pleasure), is nice by a roaring fire.
Roaring fires. Ah yes, that last one made me think of this one. I like the sound, smell, and warmth of a fire. I have yet to learn how to build one properly, but I know how to enjoy one.
Snowy walks. There's nothing like taking a stroll when it's snowing. Everything seems to move in slow motion and it's all so quiet and calm. You have to make sure the conditions for this are right, though. The wind can't be howling and the snow has to be coming down in light, fluffy flakes. Don't go if it's that icy stuff that gets down the collar of your coat. Even an adult-variety comfort drink won't warm you up after that.
This winter I'm going to take advantage of the situation. I'm going to snuggle, sleep, eat, drink, enjoy a fire, and walk in the snow. I'm not going to hate winter like I usually do. Don't get me wrong, though. As soon as warm air and opportunity arises, I'll be sitting in the sand with the sun on my face and a lobster roll in my hand.
Juliana Gribbins is a writer who believes that absurdity is the spice of life. Write to her at jeepgribbs@hotmail.com.