“Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book,” Jane Smiley.

The cold nights often associated with winter have finally arrived in southern Ontario. We were fortunate in the sense that these nights didn’t arrive right when winter did, but now they are here, and winter unofficially sometimes hangs around until April. So, we have many more of these nights ahead of us – nights where you can hear the wind hitting the roof, see the frost on your windows, and feel the warmth instantly slip away if for any reason you have to abandon your fort of blankets.

I am usually someone who does not like the cold but oddly enough, I love these nights and the sense of coziness or hygge they bring. With that said, I wanted to share what a typical cozy reading night in with me looks like.

A winter walk

Like many people I’m sure, it’s hard for me to get outside in the colder months, but I do try to force myself to get outdoors for some exercise. And starting a warm evening in is all the better when you kick it off after coming in from the cold, ready for a blanket and a hot drink.

Setting the cozy mood

Nothing says a cozy winter night quite like a candle, some lights, and a salt lamp!

Warm drinks and good books

I flip back and forth between hot chocolate and tea – it just depends on my mood and what I feel like. On this particular night, I paired Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins with hot chocolate. I have since finished this book and absolutely loved it (I know I am late to the game).

Daily reading and the Five-Minute Journal

I end each day by reading the entry for the corresponding day in Patti Smith’s A Book of Days, along with filling out the ending half of my five-minute journal.

Winter can often feel dark, long, and cold and while this may seem daunting … there are little things we can do to bring magic into each day.

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