Five Steps to Surviving the Winter Weather

Wintertime is a wonderful time of year, thanks to Christmas, snow and hot cocoa, but one must be careful during these colder months. Have you taken the right steps to ensuring you and your family a happy winter?

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Winter is a very exciting time of year indeed! With Christmas, snow, and the advent of the New Year, it’s not hard to see why kids (and parents) can’t wait to take a break from work for one or two months, and just kick back and have fun! However, wintertime weather brings with it its own set of challenges, which most are unprepared for. But if the worst comes to the worst, what can you do?

This can’t be stressed enough. The human body isn’t really suited to operating at sub-zero temperatures!

• When going outside, ensure that you and your family are wrapped up nice and warm. Scarves, hats, mitts or gloves, big poofy coats… All are essential for shutting out the cold! Oh, and don’t forget grippy boots!
• Men, maybe grow out your beard for the wintertime? Not only will you look 100% more handsome, but your face will also be kept much warmer! That, and big beards are in at the moment (not that they were ever totally out, mind)!
• Make sure you stock up on gas, oil or wood (or any combination of the three) so that you don’t have an icebox to return home to after a long day’s sledding. Also, keep your windows shut and your curtains drawn to help insulate some of that precious warmth.
• If central heating and a roaring fire just aren’t enough to keep you toasty, don’t be afraid to bring your duvet downstairs to cuddle up to on the couch. Or, invest in a Snuggie!
• Don’t usually drink hot chocolate or tea? A cold winter is a good time to start! Warming yourself up from the core is a great way to gradually recover any heat that you may have lost frolicking in the snow. Hot water works just as well, too!

If you’re snowed under, there’d be nothing worse than running out of provisions.

• Make sure you have lots of warm food stored up. Tinned foodstuffs like beans, spaghetti-Os and soup keep for a lot longer, even in the cold.
• Hot drinks like coffee, hot chocolate or tea should also be kept on backlog. If you don’t like any of these, hot milk does the job just as well… Even if it does make you kinda sleepy.
• If you have a prescription for specific medicine, or you use supplements to keep yourself healthy, be sure to stock up on extras during these hard months. You never know if you might be able to get the pharmacy or not!

Snowy or icy roads can be very dangerous, so you should only really go out driving if it’s really necessary.

• Black ice is a real danger on the roads. If you’re not sure about how slippery the roads are, just drive more carefully than usual, and take more time to slow down.
• If you have a bigger car, ATV or quad-bike, be sure to either switch to grippier tyres, or maybe even install snow chains to your wheels!
• If you have a motorcycle, moped or bicycle, it’s advised that you don’t use it in the winter. But if you must, wear all your safety gear, and be especially careful.
• Be sure to always use your turn signals, and always brake accordingly. There’s nothing worse than driving in dangerous conditions, and not knowing what anyone else is doing!

While winter weather can be dangerous, and it might seem like you’re main focus is to keep reserved and stay sensible, there’s still room to have a bit of fun!

• If you can brace the cold, feel free to go outside and take advantage of the snow! Build a snowman or an igloo, have an epic snowball fight, or maybe just take some tasteful photographs of the frozen landscape. I mean, it’s free, so do what you like with it!
• If you’re not one for the cold, and would rather stay inside, make sure you have something to do inside. Download some movies or games, fetch some books out of the attic, or order in some hobby items from Amazon. Or, maybe use all this time to do some online Christmas shopping!
• If you’re stuck at home, but have obligations to take care of like homework, study or housework, doing those things is a good way to pass the time. Being homestuck might just be the best thing in a while to keep you motivated!

Sure, the snow is deep, the ice is slippy and the air is cold… But it’s not the end of the world! As long as you’re prepared, you can pull through the worst of the winter weather with no sweat on your back.

Winter is a wonderful time of year, with lots to look forward to. Sure, there are a few more precautions to take than usual due to the weather, but it shouldn't be too much to dampen your spirits, surely? It's the holidays! It's snowing! It's nearly the new year!

Stay warm, stay safe, and have a happy holiday!

I'm Lewis, an Internet Marketing Executive with LRS Systems. I spend way too much time on the internet as it is, so this job works well for me, as I can be around something I love to use.

Wintertime here in the UK is really unpredictable. Some days it's rainy, others it's icy, and other days it's just like any other day! But, I certainly have to be more attentive to the weather, due to me getting around on a motorbike - haven't got a car just yet!

All the illustrations in this hub are done by myself using Photoshop CS6.