How to Enjoy Winter: The Cozy Season Glow Up You’ll Love
Hey bestie, let’s talk about how to enjoy winter.
Because honestly? Once the weather turns chilly and the days get shorter, it’s so easy to go into full hibernation mode and forget that this season can actually be magical. But winter doesn’t have to feel gloomy, gray, or blah.
This is your Weekend Glow Up: Frost Edition. It’s all about that hygge life mornings, cozy winter vibes, and candlelit nights where you’re wrapped in a blanket like it’s couture. So grab that mug, put on a playlist that sounds like a snow-covered cottage, and let’s embrace winter like the glowing main character you are.
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Think of this season as your invitation to slow down, cozy up, and find joy in the simple things. It’s the perfect time to create a hygge life, full of soft blankets, warm drinks, and flickering candlelight, and discover new things to love about winter.
Together, we will build a list of fun things to do in winter, create cozy winter evening activities, and plan a dreamy romantic winter retreat. There are endless ways to make this season sparkle.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
This is your sign to turn winter into a vibe, not just a season. Light that candle, plan your cozy January, and dive into all the hygge activities that make your heart happy.
Below, you’ll find some of the best easy fall snack mix recipes that are perfect for cozy nights, parties, or packaging up as a sweet seasonal surprise.
1. Start Your Day With a Winter Morning Routine That Glows Into Winter 🌅✨
Babe, getting out of bed when it’s cold? Honestly, it’s traumatic.
I see you hiding under three blankets like a burrito, but trust me, once you master how to enjoy winter, mornings stop being the enemy and start being your main character moment.
Picture this: you, swaddled in your fluffiest robe, slippers on, fuzzy ones obviously, clutching a steaming cup of tea or cocoa, journaling under fairy lights that make the whole room glow like it’s straight out of Pinterest. That’s not just a morning, that’s a weekend glow up moment for your soul, darling.
Your vibe is instantly “soft glam meets cozy queen energy.”
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
Here’s how to turn your winter morning routine into a full-on hygge life masterpiece:
Candle everything, honey. Cinnamon, pine, vanilla, something that screams “I’m thriving.” Light it like it’s your ritual to manifest joy, because it is.
Stretch, but make it cute. Bonus points if you do it near the heater and look like a frosty goddess coming to life.
Music is life. Throw on a chill winter playlist, like soft jazz, indie folk, my personal favourite Lofi Girl or whatever makes your inner dramatic BFF heart sing. Sip your drink like it’s a statement.
Hot drink station = lifesaver. Keep cocoa, teas, and cute mugs ready so you feel like you’re running your own boutique café. Every morning? Instantly chic. Every sip? Instant glow.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
Balsam & Cedar Candle
Lemon & Ginger Tea
And let’s really talk about noticing the things to love about winter, because that’s the secret.
Listen to the rain tap on your window, watch the mist curl off your mug, revel in the drama of your chunky scarf moment, seriously, it’s iconic, and inhale that stillness before the world fully wakes. It’s cinematic. It’s cozy. It’s a vibe.
Bonus tip: take a selfie in the golden morning light, caption it something like “surviving winter but make it fashion”, and post it because why not? You’re literally setting the tone for your day.
That’s how you flip the script and embrace winter like the unapologetic icon you are. The world can deal with your glow.
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2. Get Outside Whenever You Can ☀️
I say this in every post, but it’s because it’s the ultimate winter glow-up secret, do not hibernate all season. I know, it’s cold. I know, your blanket has claimed you as its emotional support human. But listen, staying cooped up indoors for days? Not the vibe.
Fresh air is basically therapy with better lighting. Even if it’s just a quick walk around the block, that little burst of daylight and movement makes a huge difference. Especially if you’re working from home, no commute, no sunshine, no serotonin? We’re not doing that this winter, babe.
So throw on your cutest beanie, grab your hot drink, and step outside. Feel the air, let your brain reset, get that vitamin D and mental clarity. You’ll feel more alive, more grounded, and way more in your main character winter era.
And of course, wrap up warm, because we’re glowing up, not freezing out. 😉🧣✨
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
3. There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather! Only Bad Outfits 💅❄️
Let’s get one thing straight, of course there’s bad weather. I’m literally staring out the window at grey sleet that looks like nature’s passive-aggressive email. But here’s the deal: you’ll always hate winter if you’re trying to survive it in a “fashion jacket” that couldn’t warm a hamster.
You need the right clothes, bestie. Like, actual weatherproof gear, not vibes and denial.
I spent my 20s pretending a leather jacket and cute ankle boots were enough. I was cold, wet, and delusional, but at least I looked good while suffering. Now? I’m in my practical queen era, and baby, it’s fabulous. I own coats that could survive Antarctica and still look chic at brunch. My boots? Waterproof, insulated, and emotionally supportive.
And let me tell you, once you stop freezing for fashion, winter becomes a whole new mood. Suddenly, snow is romantic. Rain is cozy. Wind is just free hair volume. You’re no longer fighting the weather, you’re starring in it.
Long Hooded Rain Jacket
Columbia Jacket
4. Create a Hygge Home You’ll Love 🕯️
Okay bestie, listen, if you’re wondering how to enjoy winter at home, the answer is HYGGE EVERYTHING. We’re talking candles, fairy lights, soft textures, and corners that scream “I live in a Pinterest board”.
This is where your weekend glow up really starts: turning your home into a cozy little cocoon that’s basically your emotional support sweater.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
Start small. Add a few winter hacks that instantly elevate your space:
• Layer soft blankets and fluffy pillows on the couch. Bonus points if they’re in neutral or pastel tones that match your aesthetic vibes.
• Swap harsh lights for warm lamps or string lights. Nothing kills cozy like fluorescent lighting, honey.
• Create little nooks for things to do in winter at home: a corner for reading, journaling, or sipping tea while watching the snow.
And we’re not stopping there. Bring in Victorian hobbies or old school activities. It’s all about slow, intentional living. Set up a small table for your cozy winter crafts, or just let a candle-lit desk be your meditation HQ.character moment.
This is literally how you create cozy winter vibes that feel both dreamy and like you’re thriving in your own main character moment.
Candle Warmer Lamp
Battery String Lights
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
Here’s a pro tip: add a hot drink station nearby so you can refill that cocoa or tea without ever leaving your cozy nest. Every sip = a little self-care + a little sparkle. ✨
And don’t forget, the small touches make the magic:
• A vase with winter greenery,
• Your favorite throw draped just right,
• Soft music or a crackling fireplace video in the background.
By the end of it, you’re not just embracing winter, you’re serving winter couture. Every corner, every texture, every candle is a little love note to yourself and your hygge life. That, my friend, is a weekend glow up at home.
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5. Eat Seasonally, Stay Hot, and Slay the Soup Game 🍲
It’s freezing, it’s dark by 5pm, and your salad era is officially over. Put the spinach back in the fridge. Winter is about soups, stews, carbs, and comfort, meals that hug you harder than your ex ever did.
This is your time to eat like the cozy queen you are. Roasted root veggies, creamy pumpkin situations, and enough potatoes to make the Irish ancestors proud. Get that pot simmering, toss in some leeks and carrots, and pretend you’re starring in a cottagecore cooking show, because you are.
Apples and pears? Babe, they’re not just fruit, they’re crumble material. Sprinkle cinnamon like you’re casting spells and serve it with smug domestic goddess energy.
And don’t underestimate the vibe, either. The sound of soup bubbling while rain hits the window? That’s the soundtrack to your soft-life fantasy. The cozy kitchen lighting, your fuzzy socks, the smell of roasted veggies, it’s giving main character in a holiday movie who just realized she’s in love with her own life.
6. Read Books That Make You Fall in Love With Winter 📚❄️
Just like soup and scarves, your bookshelf deserves a winter glow-up too. We’re not talking about some random thriller you found at the airport. No, bestie. We’re talking vibes. Snowy scenes. Candlelight. That “I’m mysterious but emotionally grounded” energy.
There are so many books that make you want to curl up under a blanket and thank the weather for trapping you indoors. And some of them might just make you fall in love with winter for real. So grab your tea, light that candle, and prepare to feel like the coziest intellectual in the room.
Here are some fabulous winter reads to get you started:
💫 “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times” by Katherine May. Basically the bible of embracing winter energy. It’s part memoir, part therapy, and fully the main character handbook for slowing down.
❄️ “The Snow Child” by Eowyn Ivey. Magical realism, Alaskan wilderness, and emotional healing wrapped in snowflakes. Like if The Notebook and Narnia had a thoughtful, literary baby.
🕯️ “A Winter’s Promise” by Christelle Dabos. Fantasy, romance, and world-building so rich you’ll forget it’s cold outside. You’ll be too busy thriving in another realm.
🔥 “One Day in December” by Josie Silver. A cozy romantic read that feels like a warm hug and a Christmas rom-com rolled into one. Perfect for those nights when you want to believe in fate and fuzzy socks.
Grab your fluffiest blanket, pour your cocoa, or tea, we’re classy queens, and let these books help you see winter as the soft, sparkling reset it’s meant to be. Because when you start reading seasonally, babe, even the coldest nights feel main character warm. ✨
Wintering
The Snow Child
Halloween Tissue Paper
One Day in December
7. Stay Connected, Boo! Because Isolation Is So 2020 💖❄️
Winter naturally makes us want to retreat into our blanket fortresses and never leave. And then COVID happened, and suddenly everyone became a little too good at ghosting. But honey, let me tell you: staying connected is literally a glow-up for your mental health.
I get it, sis. I’m a natural hermit too. Sometimes just existing in my own cozy bubble feels like achievement unlocked. But trust me, even a tiny reach-out can turn your whole week around.
Slide into a friend’s DMs, send a text to your aunt, drop a cute card in the mail, or bribe your pals with cocoa and cookies for a socially-distanced hang. Meet up for a winter walk, boots, scarf, latte in hand, giving main character energy. Head to a cozy coffee shop, try a new brunch spot, or even just FaceTime your bestie while wrapped in blankets like a queen.
Remember, honey, it doesn’t have to be grand. Even the smallest “hey, thinking of you” moves mountains. You’re not just surviving winter, you’re thriving and spreading glow-up energy while you do it. ✨
8. Romanticize the Season Like It’s a Movie 🎬✨
Alright babe, listen. We’re not surviving winter; we’re serving winter. ❄️
This is your cozy main character era, and it deserves a full cinematic glow-up. We’re talking Victorian hobbies aesthetic, slow living, and old school activities that make you feel like you just stepped into a snow-dusted romance film.
Light a candle, the kind that smells like vanilla and nostalgia, put on that oversized cardigan, and imagine yourself in your own period drama, but make it ✨modern cozy core✨. Start journaling by candlelight, knitting something soft and sweet, maybe even writing handwritten letters sealed with wax.
Dramatic? Absolutely. Necessary? Also yes.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
And here’s the secret: these old school winter activities aren’t just cute for the aesthetic (though, duh, they are). They actually help you slow down and reconnect with yourself.
When you bake cookies just because, go on a crisp snow walk, or take a moment to photograph the frost on your window, you’re reminding yourself that joy doesn’t have to be loud, sometimes it’s quiet, warm, and steeped in cocoa. ☕
If you want to turn it up a notch, create your own cozy winter crafts or DIY something that feels nostalgic. Paint, embroider, press flowers, or try writing gratitude notes to future you.
Call it Winter Hygge, call it Hygge January, call it “I’m living my Jane Austen fantasy but with better skincare”, whatever you name it, it’s giving peaceful main character glow.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
Embroidery kits
Paint by Numbers
9. Give In to Your Desire to Hibernate, Darling ❄️🛌
Honey, it’s officially hibernation season, and if anyone tries to guilt you for embracing it, cancel their subscription from your life. Your body knows what it’s doing. The days are short, the cold is real, and your inner cozy queen is screaming for a blanket fortress.
So what do we do? We lean in. Hard.
• Hit the hay early, wrapped in your fluffiest blanket, hot water bottle in hand, a steamy drink by your side, and a book that makes your soul sparkle. ✨
• Curl up somewhere divine and start an audiobook, or go full old-school and indulge in a radio play — yes, you’re fancy like that.
• Take that weekend nap with zero shame, darling. You’ve earned it, queen.
• Stock your watchlist with all the shows and movies your heart desires, and binge like the unapologetic icon you are. 🍿💖
Babe, winter is your time to recharge and glow. Don’t fight it. Don’t apologize for it. Hibernate like the main character you were born to be, because when you emerge, you’ll be glowing, rested, and untouchable.
10. Plan for Christmas Without the Stress 🎄✨
Okay bestie, as you know, Christmas planning can go from joyful to chaotic faster than you can say “wrapping paper explosion.” One minute you’re sipping cocoa, humming to “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and the next you’re panic-wrapping gifts at midnight wondering where the tape went. We’ve been there.
So this year, we’re doing it the hygge way. Think: calm, cozy, and delightfully extra in the best way. Grab your planner, put on a jazzy holiday playlist, bonus points if it’s vintage vinyl vibes, and light that Christmas hygge candle, because this, babe, is your organized weekend glow up.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
✨ Start Early, Stay Cute
Let’s not waiting until December to get our lives together, okay? Start jotting down gift ideas now. Think thoughtful, handmade, or cozy winter treats. Create a little holiday planning list that actually sparks joy.
And while you’re at it, brainstorm a few winter vacation ideas that feel relaxing, not exhausting. Maybe a romantic winter retreat or a chill weekend cabin getaway where you can sip tea and stare at snow like a movie protagonist.
✨ Romanticize Your Prep
Turn Christmas planning into part of your hygge activities. Wrap presents slowly, under twinkly fairy lights, with soft music and cinnamon in the air.
Write cards by hand, tie ribbons with love, and a little flair, and sip hot cocoa like it’s a ritual. You’re not just organizing. You’re creating cozy winter vibes.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
DIY Christmas Wrapping Ideas
This year, skip the basic store-bought paper and try some creative wrapping ideas that will make your Christmas wrapped presents look like they came straight out of a magazine.
✨ Set the Scene
Keep your space calm and cozy. Light that pine candle, play soft background tunes, and set up a Christmas corner where all your wrapping paper, cards, and ribbons live in harmony, because chaotic energy is sooo last year.
This is where winter hacks meet holiday chic. Organized, aesthetic, and very much giving Pinterest board come to life.
✨ Peace Over Perfection
The real Christmas glow up isn’t about everything being flawless, it’s about slowing down enough to actually enjoy it.
The laughter, the smells, the glow of the tree at night, those are the things to love about winter. You don’t need to overplan; you just need to be present.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
11. Treat Yourself to Some Winter Luxuries 💅❄️
Honey, winter is long and cold and you deserve a little sparkle in the mundane. Treat yourself like the cozy queen you are and give yourself some small indulgences that make the season feel luxurious. It’s not about spending a fortune, it’s about glow-up energy for your soul.
Here’s how we do it, darling:
🧦 Thermal base layers for your winter walks
🧦 Wool socks or cashmere if you want to feel like royalty
🧣 A super soft scarf
🕯️ Candles with winter scents like pine, cinnamon, or spice
💧 Diffuser oils to feel relaxed or energized
👐 Body lotion for that dry winter skin glow
☕ Luxurious hot chocolate mix
Thermal Underwear Set
Cashmere Socks
Dubai Chocolate
Palmer’s Body Lotion
12. Never Underestimate the Magic of a Hot Bath 🛁✨
Some days winter just attacks you. You’re shivering over your laptop, soaked on a rainy walk, or just staring at the gray sky wondering why life is like this. No woolly socks, scarf, or oversized jumper can save you. But babe… hot water can.
This, darling, is why the bath is your winter survival kit MVP. Rub-a-dub-dub, sink into a bubble bath, and suddenly the world feels softer, warmer, and a little more manageable.
Here’s how to do it right:
🛁 Heat up the bathroom. Cozy vibes first, queen
✨ Grab your fluffiest towel and bathrobe. Luxury is mandatory!
🎧 Turn on a podcast, chill playlist, or the radio, because ambiance is everything
🕯️ Light candles or diffuse oils . Winter scents = instant mood boost
🌊 Optional but main character: ocean projector lights or twinkle lights for full spa-level magic
The point is simple: never underestimate a hot bath. It’s warmth, it’s glow, it’s therapy in liquid form. Your Winter Era deserves it, and so do you. 💖✨
13. Make Something! Craft, Bake, Glow 💅✨
Honey, here’s the deal: winter is basically prime time for making stuff. Why? Instant gratification, darling. Whether it’s food, gifts, or a little side hustle, creating something warms the soul.
Don’t even worry if you’re like me and avoid knitting or sewing like they’re the plague. That’s fine, queen. Fudge, cookies, or a decadent loaf of bread counts. Literally anything that makes your inner cozy queen smile. 😏
Here’s the secret: it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to make you feel fabulous, productive, and fully in your Winter Era. Bonus points if you Instagram it with fairy lights in the background. Aesthetics, darling!
Pick something, make it, and serve it with Weekend Glow Up energy. Craft, bake, DIY, whatever makes your soul sparkle. Because in winter, honey, we don’t just survive the season, we glow through it. ❄️✨
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14. Make a Winter Bucket List That Sparks Joy ✨
Bestie, if you’ve ever made a Fall Bucket List, it’s officially time to give Winter her moment in the spotlight.
Because while everyone else is complaining about the cold, we’re over here making memories, drinking tea, and living our coziest main-character life. The secret to how to enjoy winter? It’s simple. Plan for it.
Grab your journal, a steaming mug of cocoa, and start dreaming up your winter bucket list. One that feels magical, low-stress, and totally you. Think of it as your guide to romanticizing the cold months instead of surviving them. Every weekend can be its own little Weekend Glow Up adventure, if you plan it with intention and a touch of sparkle.
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
✨ Some Cozy Ideas to Add to Your List:
– Try a new snow activity or scenic winter hike, bonus points if you bring a thermos of tea and take aesthetic photos.
– Host a cozy winter crafts night with your friends, think candles, snacks, and everyone making something cute like a homemade mug or dream board.
– Plan your own DIY romantic winter retreat, all you need are fluffy blankets, candlelight, mood lighting, and maybe a slow playlist that makes you feel like the lead in a cozy romance movie.
– Start a new winter hobby aesthetic, like journaling, knitting, puzzles, painting cozy cabin scenes, or even writing handwritten letters like a Victorian heroine who just discovered self-care.
✨ Make It Your Winter Ritual
Every weekend, you’re not just “picking an activity.” You’re choosing your personal glow up mission, OK? 💖
This is all about intentional, joyful little moments that make winter actually fun. Watch a movie with friends and spill your tea like it’s the finale of a rom-com. Read under fairy lights while giving side-eye to your cat like you’re living in a main-character scene. Bundle up and own that slow morning walk, snow crunching under your boots, scarf blowing like you just stepped out of a Vogue editorial.
Babe, winter isn’t a punishment. It’s your runway. Make your rituals dramatic, cozy, and unapologetically fabulous. Every weekend? Glow. Up. Own it.
DIY Miniature House Kit
Holiday Jigsaw Puzzle
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
15. Remember, Bestie: Winter Is a Mood, Not a Season ✨
Listen babe, winter isn’t something you survive, it’s a whole vibe. ❄️✨ It’s your excuse to slow down, sip cocoa like a queen, and actually love the quiet.
So here’s the rule, bestie: embrace it, don’t endure it. Make your mornings, evenings, and weekends intentional, playful, and fully you. Winter is your season to shine, relax, and add a little drama, because why just exist when you can glow?
Credit: Weekend Glow Up
So what do you do now?
Own it, queen. Light the candles, wrap yourself in your fluffiest blanket, sip your cocoa like it’s liquid gold, and make every chilly weekend a masterpiece. Bake, craft, journal, snuggle, dance in the snow if you’re feeling extra. This is your season to shine.
Remember: the season may be cold, but your vibe? Hot. Iconic. Untouchable. 🔥✨
Go forth and slay, bestie, winter is your main character era.
