Snow Day Essentials

The other day I was at Lush stocking up on some of my favorite bath bombs. A rare occurrence for me, actually entering the mall, one of my least favorite places. The weather was pretty bad and all I dreamed about all day, was taking a long, warm bath. So, I had to do the unthinkable and actually stop by the store on my way home. As I chatted with the girl who was checking me out at the register, we both started complaining about the crazy weather we’ve been embracing lately. “I’m so ready for summer,” I said. “Giiirl!” she started laughing “we’re a long way from Summer!”

That we are, aren’t we? Still, seeing what other parts of the country have to deal with, I try to remind myself that we don’t have it that bad, here in North Jersey.

As a kid, I loved snow days as that usually meant no school and staying in, enjoying the coziness and being a little lazy. Then you grow up and have to deal with shoveling, being on the road when you can’t avoid it (seriously, what is it with bad weather and everyone suddenly forgetting how to drive?). Once in a while though, it’s nice to have a little adult snow day and indulge in all the coziness, while you’re stuck inside.

One of the best ways to enjoy being snowed in is, of course, sleeping in. A gravity blanked is one of my most recently discovered winter essentials. I’ve been wanting to get one for a very long time and my amazing mom, being a freaking mind-reader that she is, got me one for Christmas. I haven’t left it alone since I got it- that thing is magical, you guys. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, suffer from restless leg syndrome or deal with chronic pain or even nighttime anxiety, you have to give it a try. It just makes you feel like you’re being embraced in a loving hug and makes falling asleep so much easier. It is pretty heavy so moving it from place to place isn’t always easy; it also keeps you very warm which is great in winter but might be less than ideal once summer comes around.

A cold snow day is also a perfect excuse for a long bath (as we’ve already established) which I don’t always have time during the week to indulge in. One of my winter and bath must-haves (other than bath bombs) is C.O. Bigelow Cold & Flu Soak. It’s amazing for dealing with aches and pains or any discomfort related to congestion. Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes in Rose are also amazing and I swear that those little things have the most beautiful scent, ever.

Few other “winter pamper” favorites also include Patchology’s Perfect Ten Self-Warming Hand + Cuticle Mask (or anything from Patchology in general, actually), Erno Laszlo’s Hydra Therapy Mask and Fresh Instant Perfecting Mask. All of these are really great and cold-weather friendly products.

Candles, of course, to set the mood. It’s no surprise that I prefer scented ones, and I have a whole collection of my Winter favorites- you can read all about them in this post. Voluspa’s Milk Rose and Maison Louis Marie No.02 Le Long Fond are right at the top of that list.

As far as indulging goes, I love a nice mug of hot carob. It’s high in fiber, low in fat and sugar, and doesn’t contain caffeine- all of which makes it a better choice than hot chocolate. I always make mine with almond milk and it’s just as smooth, creamy and rich as your regular hot chocolate so it’s a nice guilt-free treat.

Movie marathons are great, but usually, we love bringing out some of our favorite board games– especially when we have friends or my brother and sister staying over. That, by the way, is another idea for making those “adult” snow days a little more fun- inviting your friends or family for a sleepover the night before. A few years ago we actually lost power for a few days during a snowstorm, and we spent them all sitting in our basement next to the fireplace, playing board games. I remember actually feeling a little disappointed when the power came back on because despite being a little cold and stuck in the house for a few days, we were having a blast.

If you love staying productive, there are also a bunch of amazing resources online which you can take advantage of. With websites like edX or Open Culture, you can access free online courses from the world’s leading universities like Yale and Harvard, whatever your interests might be.

My other snow day essentials also, of course, include good books (currently reading Watching You by Lisa Jewell- I love a good thriller) and my favorite journals or self-growth workbooks.

Do you guys have any snow day essentials? Do you like to take it easy or usually stick to staying productive? Hope you’re all staying warm, safe and cozy!