How to Winter Well
A guide for staying abundantly cozy in the winter months including Book of the Month fiction picks, chocolate chip cookie recommendations, and an old-school word search.
Happy Monday, and welcome to Feeling! Magazine’s Monday Letter! This is a once-weekly letter made to feel like a magazine flip-through, purposefully designed to help you feel joy. This one has ideas for wintering well, a code for a $5 Book of the Month Club subscription, and chapter 4 of the much-anticipated fictional series, Genevieve and Rose. Oh, and a cozy-themed word search!
This post is free for everyone because Book of the Month sponsored it!
Feeling of the Week: a mood board concept of a design direction for your week.
DECEMBER 8th: WINTERING
This week is about wintering well. Instead of complaining about the cold, what if we embrace it? What if we take the forced indoor time to be magically cozy and warm? Last year, my first snowy holiday and freezing temperatures took me by surprise. Now, I am determined to embrace winter for all it could be and winter well!
Think: hot chocolate, movie nights, books galore, knitting, soup on the stove, snow falling outside, falling asleep early, bubble baths, baking.
Colors of the week: afternoon nap + sherpa hug
Last year, I moved from Florida to New York and experienced a true winter for the first time in my life. I was very cold, and I learned a lot — from practical survival to mindset shifts. I’d love to share what I learned.
In the comments — if you are a seasoned winter veteran, please share your tips and tricks for enduring grey, cold months. I would love to hear what helps you thrive when it’s freezing outside!
Here are ideas for wintering well this year:
Embrace, desperately, wool socks and slippers. Do not be without them at any moment as you walk about your home.
Learn to make warm drinks you are really excited about. Dabble in some serious lattes, apple cider, matchas, hojicha, hot cocoa, hot tea — whatever it takes. Invest in making some homemade syrups or purchasing some so you can make café seasonal drinks in your own kitchen!
Change out your wallpapers to something more festive.
Read voraciously. Read as much fiction as you possibly can while under some sort of extra fuzzy blanket.
Hot bubble baths with a book!!
Learn to make a few very warm meals very well. Soups, pastas, dumplings, etc. Whip them out on extra cold nights.
Bake something with the sole purpose of sharing it with someone specific.
Make homemade gifts for friends. So basically, take up some cozy hobbies with the intention of giving away your creations. A few ideas that are low-cost to start: beeswax taper candles, jams, coffee syrups, knitted bandanas, homemade granola mixes, or soap bars.
Invite people over more often in the evenings — not a lot of pretense or prep, maybe just take-out and card games. Or winter movie nights with cookies. Or soup and Rummikub.
Watch more movies. Make a list in your journal and rate them with notes.
Start printing your photos and putting them in a blank journal with some notes to capture memories.
Call people on the phone more often.
Wake up earlier, go to bed earlier.
Open the window for a cold blast for like 10 seconds when you get up in the morning!
Something about winter makes me want to immerse myself in new books. The grey weather outside draws me to a hot cup of tea and a book I cannot put down. Is there a better feeling than having a book you can’t wait to get back to while you’re on holiday?
Okay — maybe when you have a crush that you are texting while on a family trip? Remembering myself circa 2013 in a cabin and the thrill of a message coming through.
But it’s generally really hard to beat the thrill of an addictive read when you’re wintering.
Book of the Month’s curated selection of novels helped me narrow down my December fiction. I picked Best Offer Wins, a dark comedy thriller about a woman who will stop at nothing, and Before I Forget, a more light-hearted coming-of-age story. I’ll be honest, I pick books 80% on cover design and 20% on the synopsis — and I think I won with both of these.
If you want to give someone the gift of well-designed and well-curated books, and perhaps the most exciting box in the mail ever — Book of the Month is currently offering new members their first box AND a cutie hat (important) for $5 with the code HOLLY at checkout.
I think a Book of the Month subscription is a perfect gift for the person in your life who is always discovering the new, cool fiction first — it puts you at the forefront of discovering new work and new writers.
I have rounded up my favorite cozy survival items:
Soft Services Hand Cream: The only thing saving my hands as the temperature drops is this overnight hand cream. It comes in a ripple-designed pump that makes me feel like I am a woman of fine luxuries when I use it.
Fuzzy Striped Robe: Speaking of luxuries, a striped plush bathrobe is a thrill to me. Does this mean I’m getting older? Or I’m just really cold?
Levain Cookie Pack: Hello, have you been to Levain? It is the bakery of my dreams, primarily because I am a chocolate chip fiend, and their whole thing is chocolate chip cookies. You can get any of their cookies MAILED to you now! Send to someone who is a little blue this holiday for instant joy.
Apartment Warmer (and cooler): I eagerly share that I have found the solution to my freezing NY apartment. Like most units in the city, the window insulation is next to nothing, and the apartment stays chilly despite my best efforts. The Shark Turboblade has saved the day. As I type this, my dog and cat are snuggled on the couch with the heater directly on them, haha! It is remote-controlled, has cooling fans for summer, rotates, and folds horizontally (to blanket you) and vertically (to save space) — plus it looks like my own cute windmill. Just truly excited to report I will be warm this year without running a crazy electric bill.
Tomato Garden Candle: Make your space smell like an herby garden with this candle from California-based brand, Flamingo Estate. It’s the perfect, not-too-overpowering scent for dinner parties, or just dinner for you!
Amber Assam Tea Sachets: Cozy up with a sachet of Dona’s black tea that pairs perfectly with foamy milk. Ugh. And fuzzy socks.
Hojicha: My winter matcha replacement. Okay, I still drink a lot of matcha. BUT homemade hojicha is so easy and delicious. I love pouring a little bit of maple syrup or honey in the latte, and it is like a caffeinated hot chocolate of dreams.
I asked readers of Feeling! who delights them to gift, and the answers were so heart-warming:
Viktoriya said: “I love giving gifts to my coworkers! It feels very low stakes so I can be very fun and creative about what I get them since there really isn’t so much pressure.”
Grace Clark uses her gifting powers a a love language, sharing, “I love giving gifts to my boyfriend! He never really got many Christmas gifts growing up, and now I get the chance to spoil him and show him how well I know him. I love curating the perfect combo of gifts that will surprise him and make him feel loved!
I loved this gift guide. I love how intentional all of your posts are, the time and dedication you put into everything you do shines through!” (thank you, Grace!)
Alex Bell shared, “I love giving gifts to my neighbor. Her love language is definitely giving— she babysits my cats when I’m gone and often makes very labor-intensive projects for people she loves. It has been a beautiful thing to try to spoil someone so kind and giving. ❤️”
Maud Visser said, “I love giving gifts to my sisters, I always pay extra attention during the year if they say that they like something in a store. Then I write iy down and buy it for Christmas. The look on their faces when they know you have been paying attention is the best!”
april shared, “I love to give gifts to people who I am not quite friends with yet, acquaintances. I love to show that I listen and understand. Usually, this takes the form of a nice appliance for their apartment, I visited once, or a fashionable piece that reminds me of their distinctive style. Or maybe even a form of physical media they can enjoy always, sometimes a record of their favorite artist or a Blu-ray of a comfort film. It usually warms people’s hearts, and even if I don’t get closer to these people, I feel good that I made their day once, and their pieces can be used forever.”
P.S. You can write in your own favorite person to gift in the comments for a chance to win a gift box from Feeling! Magazine. Leave your note in the comments of this post.
Inspired by American Girl’s Coconut and Licorice, a fictional tale of my own dog and cat, Genevieve & Rose, will be coming to you in small chapters every week. Follow a whimsical story of a dog and cat duo navigating New York City when no one is looking. The story will have you on the edge of your seat, and perhaps so invested in their joyful, silly world so much that you pause scrolling just to sit with them for a bit.
The amazing mulit-chapter fictional story is written by Devon Taylor, D.B. Taylor of Paper Mirror.
Cozy up, relax, and enjoy a whimsical, light-hearted story. If you are just joining in, you can read Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3.
Chapter 4: The House of Dust and Quiet
The old man’s house was quiet and dusty. The orange paint on the walls had faded to a tired peach, chipped in spots like worn-out memories. A bookshelf leaned in the corner, sagging under the weight of too many books and too many years.
The old man sat in a rocking chair, swaying gently back and forth. In his hands he cradled a steaming cup of coffee as though it were a fragile treasure.
“I’m not going to scare any pigeons away!” Genevieve blurted suddenly. The room was so still that her voice seemed to echo. The old man tilted his head, amused.
“We… we’re here to help,” Rose added, giving her sister a sharp look that clearly said: Try to act proper.
The man smiled. “I’m glad to hear that, little ones.”
Their mouse guide scurried up the man’s pant leg and perched on his shoulder. He whispered a series of squeaks into the old man’s ear.
“I see,” the man said, stroking his beard. “So, good old Mr. Owl sent you two. Fine fellow, that one. Why I didn’t ask for his help sooner, I’ll never know.”
“What’s going on, sir? How can we help?” Genevieve asked, her voice soft with worry.
“Easy now,” said the old man, resting a weathered hand on her head. “Some problems can’t be fixed. Some we must simply grieve. It’s the pigeons—they’ve fled. Once again, the city’s turned against them.”
Rose’s tail flicked in irritation. “It’s the construction,” she hissed. “Must they always tear down walls and use such loud machines? It’s a shame, truly a shame.”
The old man gave her a long look, one of those glances that feel warm and piercing all at once, like a sip of coffee that’s so hot it prickles your throat, but somehow that’s what makes it good.
“Ah,” he said with a smile full of wrinkles. “Is that what you think?”
Rose blinked, caught off guard. Had she missed something? A calculation, a truth she hadn’t considered?
“It would be far easier if that were the case,” the man went on. His smile remained, but the shine in his eyes dimmed. “But no. It’s not the noise, or the cranes, or the jackhammers.”
Genevieve and Rose exchanged a puzzled look.
The mouse straightened on the man’s shoulder, clearing his throat with a squeaky authority. “The construction keeps my people safe,” he said. “Especially in winter. Mice aren’t welcome in many places, you know. New homes mean old homes get left behind—and that’s where we move in.”
The old man nodded, a tear slipping down his cheek. “It’s something deeper than the construction. There’s always noise in New York—those pigeons are tough enough to nap through a thunderstorm. No, it’s not the noise.” He sighed, voice trembling. “It’s the perception.”
Rose tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
The old man took one last sip of coffee, then set the cup down gently and leaned forward. The chair creaked, the air thickened, and even the mouse went silent.
“Let me tell you a story…”
Puzzle Time!
Feel free to save this image and print it out! It’s a perfect party trick to have at your next get-together. Puzzles and highlighters!
Thank you, Hailey Howe, for lovely work on Feeling! Magazine Graphics! You made this Monday Letter magical!
Exciting announcement coming this week! Talk soon! XO Jenna
Here are some pieces I think you will really love to explore:
🐚 Read more thoughtfully created articles here
🪄 Shop all my favorite things
🍒 Let’s be internet friends, please! @ jennaisfeeling
🪄 Get more inspiration
GROUP PROJECT: if you are a seasoned winter veteran, please share your tips and tricks for enduring grey, cold months. I would love to hear what helps you thrive when it’s freezing outside!
Winter tips from a native Minnesotan (and now Chicagoan):
- Try to find one outdoor winter hobby you enjoy. If you get enough snow, I LOVE cross country skiing, but maybe it's ice skating or downhill skiing or sledding or going to an outdoor sauna or something else entirely! Having a reason to look forward to snowy days makes the winter much more tolerable.
- When you do have to venture outside, dress appropriately! At a minimum, get waterproof boots (with good traction), a hat, scarf, and gloves that all coordinate with your warmest jacket. If you have to be outside doing a lot of standing or walking, base layers to wear on your legs (even if they're just leggings under your jeans) will make a world of difference. On top, multiple long-sleeve layers (like a turtleneck or Uniqlo Heattech under a flannel) will also help with temperature regulation better than one thick layer.
- Check your sweater material. Acrylic sweaters will make you both sweaty and cold. Wool is definitely warmest, but if you can't stand the itchiness (I can't!) cotton works great as long as you aren't exercising.
- Open the window just a crack at night so you have an excuse to pile on the blankets.
- Plan a craft night, either in person or virtually. You can either do a shared activity - my mom, sister, and I once all bought our own copies of the same paint by number and did them over Zoom - or bring your own embroidery or knitting or calligraphy or whatever.
- Candles. Everywhere. I even like the battery-operated ones so they turn on automatically and I don't forget to blow them out, but I still get the ambiance. String lights that stay up all winter also work.
- Try baking your own bread! The recipe and directions in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day are a super foolproof way to start. The oven heat will help keep your space nice and toasty, it smells incredible, plus you now have fresh-baked bread to eat with your cozy warm meals!
- If you have the budget for it, plan one fun warm-weather getaway to break things up. March is my favorite time of year for this because it's still cold but I'm usually ready for spring at that point. Plus there's something to look forward to all winter long! If that's not in the cards, schedule a visit to a fun tiki bar, a sauna, or somewhere local where you can pretend you're on vacation.