Beat the winter blues with these winter bucket list ideas. As an introverted homebody who spends nearly all my time indoors reading and writing, I share all my favorite ways to stay warm and cozy while celebrating the season’s spirit of rest. I also challenge you to get outdoors and breathe in the fresh air, too, as this is part of your seasonal self-care.
You’ll also get shareable graphics and a printable checklist to help you make the most of shorter days. Let’s create a winter “for the books!”
Winter Bucket List Ideas For Couples and Adults
Attend the theater.
Attend a virtual get-together.
Attend a winter sporting event.
Bake bread.
Bake sweet treats.
Bask in the daylight to stay warm.
Breathe in the fresh winter air.
Build a fire.
Burn a cozy candle.
Celebrate “apres ski.”
Celebrate New Year’s Day.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day).
Color.
Connect with someone else, particularly someone lonely or in need.
Cook with seasonal produce.
Create a memory box.
Create a photo yearbook for the prior year.
Create a winter self-care box.
Create a winter vision board.
Cross something off your to-do list.
Cuddle with your favorite person or pet.
Curl up with a blanket.
Dance.
Decorate your home for the season. (Try these winter letter board ideas.)
Deep clean something.
Do an act of service in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
Do a random act of kindness.
Do something that makes you feel nostalgic.
Do yoga.
Drink a warm beverage.
Enjoy indoor gardening/plants.
Exercise.
Get brunch.
Get a facial.
Get or give yourself a winter-themed manicure.
Get a massage.
Get and wear a fluffy robe and slippers.
“Give up” something.
Go bowling.
Go ice skating.
Go skiing.
Go stargazing.
Go to bed early.
Have a coffee date.
Have a cup of soup.
Have a home spa night.
Have a sleepover.
Have a tea party.
Have a wine-tasting event.
Host a game night.
Hydrate your skin and body.
Implement the hygge lifestyle.
Join a club.
Journal.
Knit or needlepoint.
Listen to a motivational podcast.
Listen to a winter-themed playlist.
Make a craft or art project.
Make a gingerbread house.
Make a hot chocolate bar.
Make important appointments.
Make a puzzle.
Meditate.
Order takeout food.
Organize your home or office.
Paint winter scenes.
Photograph winter in real life.
Play a game.
Play an instrument.
Play in the snow.
Practice gratitude.
Practice mindfulness.
Practice positive affirmations.
Read a book.
Reframe the narrative and focus on the joy and beauty of the season.
Send Valentines or cards.
Set new goals for the year.
Set up a cozy reading nook.
Set up your yearly planner.
Shop at a mall.
Sleep in.
Slow-cook something.
Stay in your pajamas all day.
Take a bath (using the best bath ideas).
Take an indoor or virtual class.
Take a personal day.
Take a relaxing drive.
Travel in real life.
Travel virtually.
Unplug with a social media detox.
Visit a museum.
Visit someone special.
Volunteer at a shelter.
Wander around a bookstore or library.
Watch movies or have a TV marathon.
Watch snowfall.
Watch a winter sporting event like the Super Bowl.
Watch a winter sunrise or sunset.
Work on your resolutions.
Write something creative.
My Top Tips for Winter Self-Care
“That’s what winter is: an exercise in remembering how to still yourself then how to come pliantly back to life again.” – Ali Smith
My top tip for beating the winter blues is to lean into cozy and restful things in this restorative season. I, too, struggle in those early days of the new year when I want to be energetic to work on my resolutions and have to remind myself to strike a balance.
One year, though, my husband and I found our way to peak winter self-care on Christmas Day during the lonely days of quarantine. We stayed in our pajamas all day, ate comfort foods, and binge-watched movies by the fireplace. Spending such a normally busy holiday doing nothing but resting essentially set the standard for how I now like to implement winter self-care.
Below are my favorite winter lifestyle tips based on what I love to do myself as a cozy, introverted homebody.
First and foremost, take my winter reading challenge and read one of the best books set in winter (or, more specifically, winter thrillers, winter romances, and winter book club picks). These atmospheric reads set the mood for snowy days by the fireplace. You may also enjoy my review of the book Quiet for wintering.
You can also write about your winter reads in a printable reading journal to relax and indulge even further in your bookish life. I’m doing a lot more of this myself, using the exact journal linked.
As for staying cozy, in our house, we use the cult favorite ChappyWrap blankets, which are oversized, extra warm, and wash like a dream.
Add a warm beverage to that– from hot tea to hot chocolate or mulled wine. I’m also a soup fanatic on cold days. It’s so comforting!
I also recommend that you take yourself straight to a warm bubble bath. I am always cold, and nothing warms my freezing extremities (and muscles) like hot water. I use Necessaire’s bath products on my body and Olive & June’s care essentials on my hands. Specifically, Olive & June’s Overnight Hand Treatment is the most hydrating product I’ve used to date. I top it with some seasonal winter nail colors.
Exclusive Codes: Get 10% off Necessaire clean body care products with code JULIANNE10. New customers can save 20% off Olive & June systems with code OJJULIANNEB20.
Yoga has also always been a good way to sneak in some exercise while treating your body to indulgent stretches. I always leave my at-home sessions feeling both better physically and more relaxed.
Lastly, I wear warm and comfortable clothing, including L.L. Bean slippers, soft and snuggly Barefoot Dreams cardigans, my oversized Rory Gilmore sweater, and wool-lined Allbirds flats.
SHOP THE POST
Winter Bucket List Printable PDF Checklist
Save on your device or download and print the image below to track your completion of the top winter bucket list activities.
Related Self-Care Posts
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