I love winter! Even in areas where there is no snow, the nip and chill in the air is invigorating and above all, provide a much-needed respite from the sweltering, sweaty summer heat. Here are the top 10 reasons I love winter and I am sure you will agree with most:

Load-shedding doesn’t bother me

This is ‘the’ top reason for my love for winter, really! This is one time of the year when the absence of fans due to wretched load-shedding doesn’t bother me. No waking up in the wee hours of the night because the fans turned off. In the daytime you can hardly tell whether there is electricity or not unless you want to use an electrical appliance. No more calling the electric supply company and demanding when the lights are going to come back on. Ah! Sheer bliss!

Eating is much more fun

Being a complete foodie, I love the fact that my appetite is tickled in the winter months and every few hours I have an urge to snack. Best of all are the nutty winter sweet treats and halwas!

The good news is that even though hunger pangs are more aggressive in winter, research says that the winter chill activates the brown fat and helps shed some pounds! Hurrah!

The heat (finally) isn't on!

Your blanket is your best friend

Snuggling into the depths of your duvet or blanket is the most comforting feeling. Add to that your favourite book or a movie on the laptop and some snacks and you’re pretty close to heaven. Sleep comes effortlessly cocooned in a blanket and a fire is the only thing which can get me away from its cosy folds.

Longer nights means more sleep! Yipee!

What’s not to love about the long, long nights which give you time to take off early in the evening for a dinner or movie out with friends and still leave you half the night to snore away? We usually get six hours of sleep in the warmer months but the longer winter nights naturally help remove our sleep deficit. After all, a good night’s sleep and proper rest is great for your health and wellbeing.

Watching the sun rise

The long winter nights mean that when it’s your usual time to wake up, the sun is just beginning to rise. You can actually take a moment to watch the sky magically fill up with colours of pink and splashes of yellow and blue.

Winter beauty regime

I love the ritual of lathering my skin with cold creams and moisturisers after a steaming hot bath. There’s creamy honey lotion for the legs and arms, peach-flavoured hand butter, a subtle aloe vera winter cold cream for the face and a strawberry lip balm for my chapped lips. Once I’m done, I come out smelling like a delicious bouquet of flowers (rather a basket of fruit!).

Winter fashion is oh-so-cool!

I simply adore those long cardigans, smart hoodies and classy long coats in winter. Add to that a neat checked or striped muffler or scarf to drape around your neck and some gloves. Not only does this gear look cool but what a perfect way to hide those bulges under a nifty baggy sweater.

A perfect reason to stay at home

If you’re looking for reasons to stay at home, the chilly winter breeze gives you a perfect excuse. There’s also a theory that when you stay at home and close your windows and door to ward off the winter chill, it gives you a sense of safety and security and releases stress.

Healthy Winter Beverages

Coffee, tea and hot chocolate topped with marshmallows! Have you ever tried it? It’s utterly delicious. In fact, because you’re 80 per cent more likely to catch a cold in winter, make sure you have plenty of milk-based, calcium-packed drinks to keep your immune system in tip-top condition. Winter is also the best time for my favourite juice which is freshly squeezed orange juice and not to forget how healthy that is!

Cosy bonfires

What a romantic way to keep warm by lighting up a few sticks and brambles and get a roaring fire going after the sun has set. This is the perfect setting to crowd around a bonfire and tell ghost stories, toast marshmallows, sip coffee and spend quality time with your friends.

Winter will be over before you know it, so make sure you have your share of winter fun before the heat claims us yet again.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 4th, 2015