Winter Warmer

The autumn leaves have fallen leaving an army of frosty branches, we’ve had our fair share of rain and an extra few minutes are needed at the start of your commute to scrape the frost from the windscreen. All sure signs that Christmas and winter are on their way!

A fresh winter morning can make it harder to get up each day, with many of us wanting to sink into our duvets and hibernate. But work must go on, and the best way to do that is to take care of our homes, keep the warmth in, and adopt those cozy habits we’ve been waiting for all year. See below for some tips and traditions for a warm and Merry Christmas:

Keep the heat in
It may sound obvious but keeping the doors to rooms closed really helps to keep the heat in. Rooms near the front door often have a draught which brings the cold air in and older homes often lose heat due to windy weather that creeps in. This simple tip can save you from continually cranking up the heating!

If you home is not insulated it may be worth considering having this installed to save on your future heating bills, with plenty of Government loans available to help as the march towards eco-efficiency continues.

Dig the blankets out
Sadly, we’re not talking about sausages lovingly wrapped in bacon but your army of warm blankets. Although we all have heating, sometimes there’s nothing better than cosying up on the sofa in front of the fireplace watching your favourite Christmas show. Not only is it particularly wholesome; it can be more comfortable and give your heating a break. Not only that, but it can make for a great Christmas scene for the whole family to sit together in festive or even matching jumpers!

Christmas tipple
It’s fair to say that mulled wine has become a staple winter warmer over the years. They are commonly found at Christmas markets across the UK, but they can also be made in your very own kitchen and it’s easier than you may think! The ingredients consist of red wine, a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, orange, lemon and brown sugar, most of which we already have in our cupboards.

The added bonus to mulled wine is that it is served warm, so it’s a perfect way to get comfortable in the festive season. Just remember to serve it in a heat-proof glass! Even if you don’t drink alcohol you can still get the same feeling this favourite winter warmer provides by switching the red wine for pomegranate and apple juice. Voila!