Winter has certainly been extreme this year – fluctuating from arctic blasts that beg the question whether we’ve been relocated to the North Pole to balmy days that make us seriously doubt the accuracy of our calendar. Negative numbers on any scale with the redoubling effects of wind chill unquestionably make the days face-bracingly cold and the nights a time where you can never get warm enough. Yet, despite the temporary temperature upticks, doesn’t a chill still creep in during the evenings just when you’re trying to unwind? So at least this season gets points for accuracy in that once the sun goes down, so does the mercury, and so does our comfort level. We need ways of getting cozy without cranking the thermostat to eleven requiring us handing our paychecks over to the utilities companies. And we deserve something more enjoyable than wearing a parka and mittens indoors while pacing the living room floor trying to keep our blood temperature up.
First, we need to remind ourselves that throw blankets are more than their name implies. They should not be relegated simply to draping casualty over the backs of overstuffed chairs. After all, while a throw blanket may look fetching lazing across the arm of your divan, it isn’t doing anyone any favors in the functionality department. These gorgeous blankets and throws, Pendleton blankets and Matouk blankets from Weston Table are (1) made of wool of heavy cotton for a reason, and (2) have a provenance such as Ireland or the Pacific Northwest, which speaks to their quality and ability to stave off the shivers. So wrap yourself, and maybe a loved one, in that tempting textile and fight that frigid feeling that is so difficult to shake. Luxuriate in the weight and hand feel of a Matouk blanket. Catch a glimpse of how handsome you look with that Pendleton blanket slung across your shoulders. Put that oh so pleasing plaid to its purpose while you melt away the inner icicles that make this season so challenging to muddle through.
When chilled as we are far too often these nights, it seems counterintuitive to sport fewer than the twelve or so layers we are accustomed to lugging about and downright blasphemous to even think of disrobing for the sake of comfort. Yet that is exactly what we should do when our core temperature refuses to budge from above that of the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. It’s time to take a bath – a decadent bath. A bath that while having the cleanliness benefit, solely exists to heat us through perfectly. So why not enter the steaming waters of your bathtub with the added benefits of relaxation and aromatherapy? Bath bomb gift sets from Lush will transport you to faraway places with warmer climes, all without the need of a magic carpet. Surround yourself with the fragrant fizziness of these cruelty-free concoctions as you thaw yourself out in preparation for a long winter’s night. Emancipate yourself from touting around a tonnage of textiles in the quest for comfort and enjoy the manifold benefits of kicking back in the tub for a good long while.
So far we’ve explored the art of keeping warm on winter evenings with a very lo-fi approach. What about for those of us who are keen on introducing a gadget into the equation to make things work out for the better? Sure, there are portable heaters that are more dangerous and expensive to use than they are functional. Hand warmers may give a glimpse of relief to someone on the slopes but aren’t going to transform anyone from a human popsicle to the equivalent of a cup of cocoa. Also, sometimes you just need to call it a night – cocoon oneself in bed under mountains of covers. Or better yet, activate the Navien Mate Bed Warmer Water Heated Mattress Pad from Brookstone and sleep like a swaddled baby. Safer and more efficient than their electric blanket cousins, this smartly engineered device warms without the risk of fire or overheating. The soothing hot water has the added benefit of relieving inflammation and soreness. So hop on into your toasty warm bed – it’s good for you!
Hopefully you now have solutions to stave off chattering away at the chill in the air. Remember, a blanket only fulfills its true purpose when it enrobes you in comfort. So grab that throw and put it to some good use – its time to shine has come. And there’s nothing wrong with glamming up your tub and luxuriating in a bath bomb-infused soak to raise your temperature and your spirits. The only thing better may be an industrial-sized sous vide. Nope, the only thing better would be taking that soothing warm water and having it turn your entire bed into a spa experience. Ensconce yourself in your favorite sheets, supercharged with a heated mattress pad. Let the blustery day slip away as you slide into sleep, snug as a bug in a rug. Spring may be right around the corner but until it actually arrives, let’s take the steps we can to raise our own temperature and concordantly our spirits.