Three Ways to Create a Cozy Winter Ritual

January is full of renewed energy and commitment to new habits and routines. I prefer to to keep things simple (you can read more about why here) and part of that means cozying up and taking the days at a slower, more intentional pace. The energy of the Winter Solstice is still strong in my body right now.

To refresh your memory, the Winter Solstice is all about getting quiet and reflecting on what you want to cultivate in the year ahead. There’s a lot of intention and thought around providing for yourself and your family, making sure all the needs are met, and dreaming for what you wish to call into your life in the future months.

Even though the Winter Solstice has passed, you can still use the energy of the solstice to create a cozy winter ritual to carry you through the rest of the cold months.

Create a new ritual with intention.

I’ve written about cultivating rituals in the past (like the ritual of tea, a nighttime ritual, habits to help you sleep better, and self-care rituals) and I think it bears repeating here. The first step is always to decide how you want to feel. I like to use my rituals at this period in the year to help ground, center, and balance myself.

With the cold winter months, it’s very easy to lean all the way towards hibernating and not enough towards moving your body in a way that feels good, for example.

Thinking about how I want to feel with this cozy ritual helps balance that desire never to leave my blankets on the couch while also feeling like I have a quiet spot to return to when I want to feel secure and warm.

Try being rather than doing.

This is the perfect time to slow down and turn inward, like the Winter Solstice reminds us to do. It’s a quiet time in the year when the seeds and animals are gathering their energy for the warmer months of growth.

Just like the animals, I, too, like to slow down and gather my energy. I don’t add a lot of action to my cozy, winter rituals. I like to be still and reflective. Meditating with a cup of tea helps to anchor my thoughts and provide a few moments to settle any excess energy.

I love to perform my tea ritual now with Fireside Evenings. This tea is the essence of cozy. The Ceylon Black Tea, Cassia Cinnamon Chips, and Cardamom Pods are all so soothing and warm. These ingredients help with digestion, so they’re great to settle in with after a hearty meal. They also feel warm with the cinnamon and cardamom spices.

Journal, meditate, or find other ways to record your dreams and desires.

I find this time of year is full of possibilities. While I admit that sometimes I feel behind if I don’t have my yearly ritual picked out by January 1st, there’s absolutely nothing magical about that specific point in time.

A new year and new routine can start at any time. It has way more of a chance at lasting when you do it intentionally than when you rush it to hit a certain date on the calendar.

During my cozy ritual time, I like do a lot of journaling and thinking. Like I wrote above, I just “am” during this time. It helps me tune into my deepest seeds that are germinating and find the best ways I know how to support their growth.

January and February are long, cold months here in Pittsburgh. Having a cozy winter ritual helps keep spirits bright, even after the holidays have passed.