Spreading Christmas Cheer!

Picture by Stephen Durham

It's the tinsel-carol-jingle time of year again. My absolute favorite holiday. But I'm spending it in a country that doesn't care so much about it. So how do you get into the Christmas spirit when others around you don't care so much?

Find others who do. Spend your time with people doing something very Christmas-y, like caroling or making sugar cookies in cute Christmas shapes. 


Decorate. Use some lights, cut out some decorations if you don't have any, in short make the room more express the Christmas cheer for you. 


Watch a Christmas movie. My favorite is Love Actually, always gets me in the mood for Christmas. 

Listen to Christmas music. They can get on your nerves sometimes, sure, but those good old classics will definitely set the right tone. 


Read a Christmas story. A first one that comes to mind is 'A Christmas Carol', but there are many more. They're hart warming and a great way to get into the giving spirit yourself.

We've just moved to a new apartment that doesn't have Internet to await the time when we will move to the US. Until that time I won't be able to update (end of January, probably).
Hopefully you'll find plenty of other blogs to keep you busy, and I promise to get back to blogging as soon as possible!

Happy Holidays!
Jorinde

Triple Inspiration: Winter Edition

Another week gone by. How did it go? Ready for a new one yet? Maybe some quotes can inspire you to look forward to another Monday. I know I can always use a bit of extra motivation to get started.

It's been a wintry week here, so today's quotes are related to the season. It may be my least favorite season, but there are still plenty of things I love about winter.The holidays are an obvious example, but I also love snowy landscapes, winter foods and the crisp clear air of a frosty morning.

Now, without further ado, let's share some quotes.

Get Productive!

"To shorten winter, borrow some money due in spring."
(W.J. Vogel)

Get Happy!

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes 

taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
(Anne Bradstreet)

Get Inspired!

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.
(Albert Camus)

Get Wintry!

"You can't get too much winter in the winter."
(Robert Frost)

Want to get those quotes every Sunday, and a whole lot of other interesting tips through the week? Sign up for the e-mail updates or the RSS feed at the top right of the page. 

5 Quick Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

Our friend Sookie staying warm in a Belgian Winter

It's December, which means Winter for those on the northern half of the globe. This morning, the puddles turned ice reminded me that it's time to start pulling out a few tricks to stay warm.

Today I want to share a couple of those tricks I've learned over the years. Maybe you already know most, but I'm hoping some of them may be new or helpful reminders to you.

1. Dress in layers.
   One of the best ways to keep your body temperature in is by using layers to trap the heat. It's animals with thick fur stay warm too: the air in between the hairs acts as an insulation. So instead of just wearing pants, put on a pair of tights underneath. Instead of wearing thick sweaters, wear three thin ones. Summer tank tops can serve as underwear in Winter, which is a great way to save money too!
   
2. Heat it up.
   Ever tried drinking hot water? It's very common here in China and it makes perfect sense to me now. Why drink cold water in Winter when you can have the added benefit of warming up when you drink it hot or warm? If you bring your water bottle with hot water, it also acts as a great hand-warmer!
   The same goes for milk and even juice (adding hot water to juice can help it get warm and reduce your calorie intake. Then it also won't get so hot as to kill all the good stuff).
   Another bonus: drinking coffee and tea is a lot better for you than drinking soda. As long as you don't put sugar, that is.
   
   
3. Stay active.
   No surer way to freeze than to sit down and stop moving. Stomp your feet. Clap your hands. Walk to places instead of taking the car and you'll find that you'll get just as warm as in a heated car. But you'll be getting in shape, saving money and helping out the environment. It's a win-win-win!
   
4. Eat 'warming' foods.
   The Chinese believe that some foods help you stay warm while others cool you down (yang and yin foods). Eating more of the warming foods can help your body keep in more heat. Some examples are dried fruits, nuts and oats. Thinking of muesli yet? You can find more on warming and cooling foods (with a list!) on this website: Raw Foods Diet Center.
   
5. Cover the sensitive bits.
   And I mean your head and throat. We lose a lot of heat from our head (why do new-born babies always wear those cute little hats?) and our throat is sensitive too. The same goes for wrists and ankles which carry blood to our hands and feet. Keeping the extremities warm helps to keep a good circulation going, not allowing parts to cool off completely.

Any more great tips on how to keep warm? Do you have a typical Winter habit that helps you get through the dark days?

Let me know in the comments below!