Whether you have some extra downtime for the holidays, or you’re just looking for some cold-weather hobbies to enjoy, we’ve put together this list of favorite winter hobbies for both indoors and out!
Hiking
There’s nothing quite like hiking through the forest on a snowy day. This is the perfect time to hit easier trails that would normally be crowded with hikers, with more people staying indoors during the winter.
Of course, you’ll want to take all the necessary precautions and, in general, avoid more difficult terrain unless you’ve got the gear to back you up! Lots can go wrong on snow-covered ground, especially on slopes and uneven trails.
New to hiking? Here are a few things we recommend bringing on your first hike.
Bird Watching
There are many types of birds you’ll only see around during colder seasons. You don’t have to wander too far from your own home to see your favorite winter birds if you’ve got a feeder and the right kind of food.
You’ll also want to have your camera handy. If your feeder is pretty close, you may even be able to get some nice shots with your phone’s camera. However, birds just traveling through for the winter may be a little shy if they’re unfamiliar with the area.
For species that aren’t quite as sociable, you’ll want to get a good pair of binoculars for observation and a zoom lens for your camera. You can also set up a separate feeder a little further from your house if you’re worried they won’t want to come around.
Plan a Garden
While winter gardening is a little difficult in colder areas, you can still plan your garden and start your plants indoors.
If you live in southern states, you typically only have to worry about a couple of freezes (if any). In colder areas, it’s almost always recommended to start things off indoors.
Check out our gardening guide for supplies you’ll want to start out with. And if you’re worried about space constraints or aren’t able to garden outside for other reasons, check out this guide to help you start your indoor garden.
Knitting
One of my favorite activities for colder weather—knitting.
You can create scarves, cowls, hats, and gloves to wear through winter and early spring with this selection of yarn for cold-weather projects. I’ve picked out some of my favorite yarns for warm and cuddly winter wear. (I’ve also included some lighter yarn for those of us that live in areas that get warmer winters.)
If you enjoy arm knitting, you can also find some large, bulky yarns for arm-knitted blankets. These make wonderfully heavy, comfortable blankets for cold weather, or even just something to further cushion your couch.
New to knitting? Join a friend in learning how to knit. We’ve compiled a list of favorite supplies and resources for beginner knitting projects so can quickly and easily get started.
Creating Tea Blends
Love tea? You can take it a little further and create your own tea blends.
The best part about this is that if you can find something close enough to your favorite tea blend, you’ll never run out again! Sites like Amazon make it easy to get common ingredients and loose leaf tea leaves to start your blend.
If you’re looking for specific kinds of teas that aren’t widely available, many specialized loose leaf tea companies offer lots of different kinds of tea, along with herbal ingredients, spices, and other additions for you to use in custom blends.
Journaling
Journaling is great for a variety of reasons.
You can use it to get your thoughts and ideas out on paper, stay organized for work and in your personal life, and it’s a constructive way to deal with emotions you don’t feel comfortable talking about.
Especially during the winter, the extra time indoors and away from people can be a mood-killer. People, in general, tend to feel more sluggish and lethargic during days that get colder with longer dark hours.
Shifting the focus to more positive things—things you’re grateful for, goals for the future, and sorting out troubling thoughts in a positive way can greatly improve your mood.
Journaling can also be a powerful tool for organization if you feel like you need to work a little more on productivity and organization. Check out our guide on bullet journaling supplies.
Scrapbooking
Last, but certainly not least—scrapbooking.
Scrapbooking is still a popular activity, especially around the holidays when you’re sure to take more photos with friends and family. Many scrapbookers create beautiful pieces for gifts to loved ones or for their own personal projects.
Scrapbooking is a great way to capture all your favorite memories in a book you can go through years down the road—it’s always kind of interesting to see how much things have changed over the years.
If you’re a scrapbooker (or looking for scrapbooking supplies to gift for a friend), check out some of our favorite scrapbooking gift ideas.
What are your favorite winter hobbies? We’d love to hear about your projects in the comments below.
And feel free to share this post with a friend who would love to start a new hobby with you!
