8 Cuddly Ways To Keep Your Partner Warm When The Weather Gets Cold
How to make the winter months cozy, even when it's chilly.
rustam shaimov | Canva January and February don't have the happiest reputations, as far as months go. The short days and cold nights, the post-holiday hangover, the fact that summer is such a long time away ... this can all take a toll on your relationship if you're not careful.
The good news is, what may seem like a relationship rut is most likely just the winter blues — something tons of people suffer from without even knowing it. More good news: There are many fun, easy ways to inject some fun into your relationship in the winter and keep from getting bored.
Here are 8 cuddly ways to keep your partner warm when the weather gets cold:
1. Watch an award show together
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Catch up on all the Oscar-nominated movies together before the big awards show. This means a lot of steamy movie nights together. Then it's time for a little healthy competition: Write in your predictions for every category, and see who gets more of them right!
2. Host a Superbowl party
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Throw a Superbowl party together. Even if he likes football and you don't (or vice versa), planning a menu, inviting friends, and prepping for the big game will help you bond and have fun. Our favorite big-game snack foods are sliders and pigs in a blanket: munchies you'll both love.
3. Go ice-skating or sledding
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Get out there and go ice skating, sledding, you name it. Even if it's not cold or snowy where you live, being active together boosts your endorphins, research from the American Psychological Association confirms, which puts both of you in a better mood (fewer fights!)
4. Take an old-fashioned mall-walk
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We all know that men can be fashion-challenged. Go shopping together and help him pick out a scarf or peacoat that'll spruce up his style a little. He'll appreciate all the effort you put into helping him with a task he's clueless about, and you'll appreciate that he no longer looks like a schlub.
5. Binge a show together
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Watch an entire season of a TV show together on a weekend. That type of laziness takes real dedication and will result in some major bonding.
You'll be quoting or analyzing it for weeks to come, especially if it's something meaty like Succession or The Wire. And make sure it's a show neither of you has seen before, so it's a new discovery for both.
6. Have a study session at the library
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Are one or both of you studying for a huge exam, like the Bar, or applying to jobs/grad school? Help him (or let him help you) by quizzing with flashcards, editing cover letters, or helping prepare an admissions essay.
It will spur you to talk about your goals and dreams — and kill two birds with one stone. Who said you can't combine business and pleasure?
7. Cook up a new soup
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Nurse those colds, or help each other stay healthy, by cooking up a healthy soup recipe. Couples who cook together stay together; studies tell us.
8. Just be together, period
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You don't always need to plan a special activity to keep your relationship happy and fun. Everyday actions, like kissing your partner every morning and saying "please" and "thank you," have a major positive impact on your well-being as a couple.
Monica Green is a New York-based writer who has contributed to Good Housekeeping, The Knot, and Bustle, among others.