Dreaming of a White Christmas

With the holiday's approaching there will hopefully be many White Christmases adding some joy to our lives this weekend. This specific post was inspired by a good friend of mine, Sarah, because she is traveling to the lovely (and snowy) Wisconsin this year. While it may seem like second nature to those of us that grew up around the snow there are many people who simply have never experienced a good blizzard (minus the DQ kind) and accordingly don't know what they'll need.

So Sarah, and any other native Southern Californians, here is my break down of what to bring when traveling to the snow.

[1] You will definitely, and I mean really, need some sort of winter jacket. A sweatshirt just wont cut it when its below freezing. I personally have a pea coat from American Eagle that I adore and I'm also a fan of North Face anything.

[2] There is nothing worse than freezing hands in my opinion. If I had to pick between all the rest of the items on my list, I would never ever give up gloves. I personally can't function in any way if my hands are frozen.

[3] Depending on how much snow you're expecting or how freezing it's going to get, a scarf and hat are next on the list. Scarves are great when it's windy because they keep the cold breeze from going down your jacket and hats are great when you're planning on being outside for a longer amount of time. Don't you lose like 50% of your body heat through your head? Maybe I'm making that up.

[4] Boots. And no they don't have to be Uggs if you have something against them. They serve multiple purposes when it's nice and wintery. They keep your feet dry which is the first step to keeping warm, they insulate, and they have good traction. I would highly recommend getting a pair with more traction that you think you'll need because there's nothing worse than slipping on ice.

[5] This one might seem like a stretch but (at least for me) sunglasses are important. You see, when it snows in CO, the next day is usually a bright blue sky with lots of sunshine. And given that there is a fresh blanket of snow, there is lots and lots of reflection off it's shinny white surface. Believe me, it gets bright out there and you want to make sure you can see where you're driving/walking/moving in another fashion.

Now the rest of the items on my list are things that I always use but I would give up if I was crunched for time, didn't have the money, or the situation didn't call for it. But I digress.

[1] Snow and ice scrapers are only necessary if you're going to be driving. You never know when you'll get more snow and it makes for a miserable rest of the day if you have to use your sleeve to clear the windshield. (I speak from experience.) If you're going to a busy city and will be taking taxis then skip this part. Also skip it if someone else who lives where you're traveling will be driving because I can bet they'd have one of these already.

[2] It never hurts to carry a portable shovel in the car with you too. When I know it's supposed to snow here in CO I always make sure there's one of these in the trunk because, like usual, people who predict the weather can't always tell a difference between 2 inches and 2 feet and you'd hate to get stuck. But like above, skip this if you aren't driving.

[3] Nothing warms you up quite as well as a nice cup of hot chocolate or a mocha or a latte of any kind whatever your preference. I love coming home from a long day of shopping or an afternoon of sledding and curling up with a good book, a blanket, and something warm to drink.

[4] Let's face it, the cold will dry you out. You'll need extra lotion for your skin, more moisturizer for your face, and something that's often forgotten about, a good chap-stick of some sort. Chapped lips can hurt and bleed and are sometimes hard to get rid of once you have them. So while it might not have the best scent in the whole world, I really love Carmex to keep my lips soft.

[5] Again with the moisturizing theme, I absolutely love aloe infused socks during the winter. Not only are they more snuggley than regular socks but they leave your feet both warm and soft. I throw them on as I'm jumping into bed and wake up to some cozy toes.

[6] While shoes are obviously more important for outdoors in the winter than they are for indoors, it can be nice to have something to throw on in the house too. If it's snowy and wet outside you don't want to keep your outside shoes on and track wet footprints all through the house. But sometimes it's too cold to wear only socks, especially if you have wood or tile floors, so a pair of house shoes or slippers would do the trick.

I know these are all things I use (or would be using if we could get some dang snow around these parts already, grr). I hope I've added some items to your packing lists for the season and I would love to hear any of your Essential Winter Items if you'll be spending the holidays in the snow.