Gear up, everyone. I’m getting on my (probably second, it’s chilly out) pair of dueling mittens. Who knew you could turn something as mundane as tangentially related weather talk into a full-scale blog battle? Granted, I could have left my colleague Adam’s autumn defense post well enough alone and I’ve already made enough of an internet footprint on my thoughts on the cold months and their “joys”. But I submit to the court (of public opinion): where’s the fun in that? Therefore, I will not take this kind of (very fun and politely worded) slander sitting down or bundled up in too many sweaters.

Here I am, bravely waving the flag of the anti-winter camp in this Weather War. Again. Granted, I don’t mind being an army of one (my blanket burrito only has occupancy for one anyway), but in case I’m not the only person out there who refuses to step outside once I see white on the ground, I’ve put together a little survival guide full of library goodies to help you make sure you can be a winter hermit, grump, or Grinch to the fullest.

First things first, the most important part of any winter hibernation is to set the mood. My music preferences tend to be a little eclectic, but for the coldest (and gloomiest, I will not be moved on this fact) months of the year, there’s nothing more suitable than classical tunes. I may have mentioned Valse Triste in one of my previous blog posts, but I didn’t mention it’s my favorite classical piece. Its composer, late Romantic and early Modernist Jean Sibelius, was known for putting Scandinavian and Finnish symphonic music (think 50-80 musician orchestra) on the world stage, which means any of his discography is ripe with the perfect amount of drama needed for crackling fireplaces, dark and stormy nights, or cursing the existence of snow on your lawn. There have been plenty of musicians that have adapted and reimagined Sibelius’ singing violins and deep, somber cellos, from ubertalented pianist Leif Andsnes (a personal favorite) to any of the many other orchestras we have accessible through Hoopla.

I know twiddling thumbs isn’t the most exciting way to pass the time, so if you’re looking for a season-long project to keep yourself busy while you wait out the cold in the warm safety of your home, maybe amping up the cozy factor of your indoor cave is the thing for you. I’m not talking about a full-scale renovation (as I’m still in the depths of renovation hell, like Adam, I strongly advise against it), but an afternoon scrolling session through Wayfair or other online marketplaces for furniture and bits and bobs can make the pre-sundown hours a little more enjoyable (plus, those pre-holiday sales get increasingly hard to resist). If you’re like me and the wealth of choice can often lead you to not choosing anything for several days, maybe you need the trusted voice of a professional to lend you a hand. That’s where books like aptly named Keeping House, even more aptly named Homebody, and especially thematic Cozy White Cottage come in to save the day. No matter if your winter refuge is an apartment, house, or woodland cottage, these reads are full of tips and tricks on interior design that are uncomplicated, simple, and work for you. Each author covers color theory, shape, furniture placement, and style considerations that thankfully don’t ask you to pull out floorboards or demolish walls, and let you redesign your space from the comfort of… your space. Minus a few trips to the front door and dreaded porch to pick up some delivered goodies.

So, we’ve set the mood and made our space to hibernate. The next thing you’ll need is some comfy, cozy winter wear. If your closet isn’t already filled with an absurd amount of oversized sweaters, knit caps, fluffy scarves, and blankets, you might need to stock up. But if you’re the creative type and would like to keep your hard-earned coin in your pocket, you can always make your own. I’ll confess, knitting has never been my strong suit. I wield the needles with about as much grace and minimal clacking as a newborn deer on ice skates. Thankfully, for people like me, there’s arm knitting, which is exactly what it sounds like (who needs needles when you’ve got two perfectly useable limbs on you at all times?). Gaining popularity since 2013, arm knitting combines all the cool, homemade vibes of knitting without making your fingers cramp or making you feel very self-conscious about your hand-eye coordination. Plus, you’ll feel cozy making and wearing your creations. If you’ve never arm knitted before and need some pointers on how to start, what yarn to get, or basic stitches, you can check out the guides we have on our shelves at VPL or the very many, very chill YouTube tutorials.

As a tangentially related side note: if you’ve never blanket burrito-ed before and also need a guide for that, told in the most adorable, snuggly way, check out Blanket: Journey to Extreme Coziness (no false advertising there). Do I even need to go further than pointing out the gooey-eyed, chubby-cheeked goober on the cover? Probably not. But in case I do, this picture book has a similar style of mixed-media illustrations that makes The Very Hungry Caterpillar so loved, with a cheerful, imaginative narrator (see gooey-eyed, chubby-cheeked goober) who matches a (and I’m seeing the coincidence as I type this) caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly with the transformative power of make-believe and an off-brand Snuggie. You can’t knock a good picture book, and this one is all that plus seasonally on theme.

Getting back on track, once you’ve completely cozy-fied your wardrobe and are ready to be a homebody until the weather comes back up to 18 degrees, the next thing you’ll need is enough reads from your to-be-read list. I may be in the minority when I say that my to-be-read list is about as long as a single Canadian Winter is, but when has that ever been a bad thing at a library? Taking a quick scroll through my online shelves, I feel like Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore and A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy Lin are perfectly suited for the weather (and I’m not just saying that because they’ve been sitting at the back of my reading list the longest and I feel bad about not picking them up yet). While The Nutcracker is one of the most common stories to be associated with the winter season, ballet itself just screams snowy weather to me. Maybe it’s the white, fluffy tutus. I wouldn’t be able to tell you. But since Blanca & Roja is an imaginative retelling of Swan Lake (and the original Snow (see what I did there?) White and Rose-Red fairytale), I think it’s perfectly cold month suited. Plus, it happens to be written by my favorite young adult author, Anna-Marie McLemore (second tangentially related side note, if you haven’t read The Mirror Season, you should). McLemore is known for their well-crafted brand of magical realism and storylines populated by LGBTQ+ characters, so this tale of two sisters, a family curse that traps one of them in the body of a swan, and two local village boys that get wrapped up in the magic is bound to be good. A Magic Steeped in Poison is far more magic than realism, but since all its spells and potions are based on tea, this read is perfect for a blanket burrito and cozying up with a mug of the best cold season drink around. Our protagonist Ning enters a prestigious and cutthroat tea-making competition with one goal in mind: to cure her dying sister. Add in an environment full of political secrets and subterfuge and this book checks all my boxes. I’ll have to give you all a thorough review when I’ve finished it.      

Speaking of tea, the last thing you’ll need to survive the winter season in the wonderful, great indoors, is a nice, hot drink. You can substitute with coffee, but since I am not a coffee drinker and tea (in my honest and very biased opinion) is the superior beverage of the two, we’re going to focus on the latter. Our collection has 140 titles just on the history and brewing culture of tea, so I’ve picked out a few highlights to add to a growing to-read list. Stuff Every Tea Lover Should Know is a pocket-sized guide on how to make sure you don’t end up burning your tea leaves (the acrid taste of burnt bergamot makes for one very sad blanket burrito session), plus little bite-sized bits of information on tea vocabulary, proper tea tasting, tea ceremonies around the world, and the types of tea specific countries are known for. Good and Proper Tea puts all the experiences (and delicious tea-based recipes from brewing to baking) of small business owner and passionate tea lover Emilie Holmes in one place. If you’re a springtime and summer lover like me, then you can also keep the gardening spirit alive throughout the winter with Homegrown Tea. If you had any tea leaves sprout in your garden this season (or borrowed some seeds from our Seed Library at our Bathurst Clark branch), Homegrown Tea will teach you how to preserve and enjoy what you’ve got until you’re ready to plant again with delightful hand-drawn pictures at the beginning of every chapter. Who doesn’t love saving a little coin, especially for the avid tea drinker? Online tea stores are dangerous, and the siren’s call of nearing holiday sales even more so.

That about covers it for my miniature indoor kit for the cold months. I hope this has convinced you all that November through February (and sometimes March) are better spent inside where it’s nice and warm, instead of outside where it’s… not that. And cold. And snowy. And lame. But who knows? Maybe there will be a part three (or four, or five? I’ve lost count) to this ongoing Weather War if I’ve ruffled enough feathers. Until then, stay warm and cozy, readers!