Sophie Dainty
Fashion & Lifestyle Writer

As winter looms, the weather is getting chillier and the days are getting shorter, those summer days we spent strolling in the park and lying on the beach feel like a fading, distant memory. However, all is not lost as winter can actually be a truly magical time. Here are ten things to embrace about winter:

1) Cosy cardigans, hats and ear muffs!
As the wind gets harsher, the roads get icier and there is more often than not even a hint of a snow storm, this can only mean one thing: it is time to layer up! The bikinis and lovely summer dresses that us women spent all of summer fake tanning ourselves to look nice in, can now be put to the back of the wardrobe and be replaced with the likes of a wonderful, thick, comfortable cardy, a bobble hat and a pair of fluffy ear muffs if gets really cold. There is no greater comfort than the cosiness of warm clothes, so snuggle up in them during the coming colder months.

2) Winter Food
Pies, parsnips and Sunday roasts are just a few of the delicious winter treats on the menu that can be enjoyed as the temperature starts to drop.

3) The best TV of the year
With both X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing battling it out on screen to be at the top of the ratings list, not to mention the up and coming Christmas specials and films – who needs to paint the town red on a Saturday night? It is time to cosy up on the sofa in your PJ’s and enjoy the epic , winter TV season.

4) Hot Chocolate (with marshmallows)
You can’t drink one of these in the summer (without looking like a weirdo) so make the most of it! The weather usually starts getting colder from around October onwards, so head to the shops and buy a sachet of either the fair trade or Cadbury’s hot chocolate, boil the kettle and add some marshmallows for the best result!

5) Hot Water Bottles (and a nice warm bed)
If your bed is a feeling a bit cold due to the decrease in temperature, do not fear – hot water bottles have been warming beds for many years and are one of the greatest winter comforts. Several shops now even sell microwavable animals that can do the trick just as well – you simply put them in the microwave for a minute (and seriously no longer – the results are traumatising) and then take them out to reveal a warm, snugly, cute little creature that will warm your bed up in seconds. Aww.

6) Snow days
With our increasingly changing climate meaning that the winters of the last 3 years have had large snowfall amounts widespread and very low temperatures; we can probably expect some more snow in the months to come (especially if rumours of this ‘big freeze’ are anything to go by). Snow, it has to be said, can be a pain in the backside but it does however mean that we tend to get a day (or two) off school and as travelling from A to B starts to become slowly impossible, what better excuse to stay inside all day and do nothing but watch TV? Or, if you are feeling really energetic, then venture outside with a carrot and a bobble hat and make a snowman. You’ve got to love a bit of snow, you know.

7) Baking
Whether you are baking mince pies, a Christmas pudding, or just some homemade bread, with all that biting cold air outside what better time of year is there to take shelter in your warm kitchen and get your culinary juices flowing?

8) Social Events With Christmas drinks, parties and New Year celebrations- winter holds all the exciting annual events that you can get dressed up for and look forward to.

9) Mulled wine, winter cocktails and sherry (you know, for Father Christmas…)
Tis the season to be jolly, so have a little head start with some wonderful winter bevvies.

10) CHRISTMAS
Best time of the year. Enough said really.