Visually creating a Winter Wonderland in your home is the essence of Hallmark Movies, (well that, and the hunky guy next door who turns out to be a Prince. Who is single. And rich. And looking for a “regular girl”)

And although living in the perfectly designed Holiday Farmhouse in the foreground of Aspen’s snowcapped mountains is not realistic for most of us, you can bring in those elements that mimic winter emotions using color and space.

Give your home variety of textures to feel throughout your home.  A thick soft knitted blanket thrown across a cold leather sofa.  A rustic reclaimed hand-hewn barn beam fireplace mantel. The comfortable and upscale feel of velvet throw pillows. A rattan and glass end table. Faux silk or linen panel curtains. Soft fleece slippers and bathrobe. Wool socks. A sheepskin or flokati rug. A thick memory foam mattress. A heated toilet seat. (yes, it’s a thing – and in the middle of a cold winter’s night, it’s amazing!) A happy, tail-wagging, smiling dog to pet.  Or a fluffy and sometimes grumpy cat.  If it’s not too cold, open the window for a cool and fresh slight breeze on your skin  Flannel sheets. What other cozy textures can you bring into your home?

The smell of the winter holidays is unlike any other.  Cinnamon and star anise. Sweet caramel scented candles.  Casseroles cooking in the oven and soup simmering on the stovetop.  Baking bread.  How the air smells after the first rain.  Vanilla.  Gingerbread.  Freshly cut pine trees at a Christmas tree farm.  Hot apple cider. Spearmint candy canes and hot chocolate.  The woodsy smell of your grandfather’s pipe. A vintage bookstore.   The fresh crisp cold smell of early morning snow.  Simmering orange peels and cloves. Candles, incense, plug-in air fresheners, essential oil diffusers, and aromatherapy room sprays are the perfect way to get the exact scent you want.

Comfort food means something different to everyone.  For some, it’s their mother’s meatloaf or their grandma’s chicken pot pie. For others, it’s a cultural-based cuisine or tradition. Borscht (beet soup) does it for me, because my Russian grandfather used to make a giant pot of it on cold days.   But no matter what your go-to comfort food is, they all have one thing in common. Comfort food is any recipe that brings back good memories that you associate with happier times in your life.  the taste of comfort foods on a cold and wet winter’s day gives you an excuse to eat a warm and satisfying calorie-rich, carb-heavy, butter, and cream-infused guilty pleasure.  So go ahead and make those cheese biscuits and drink that mulled wine. The diet can start in January.

How do you bring cozy sounds into your home?  Tranquil and calming.  Or upbeat and jazzy.  Christmas carols. Crooners, like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Michael Bublé.  And sound doesn’t have to be a tune-filled 7.2 surround sound stereo system.  Quiet moments listening to an indoor water fountain.  The ambient sound of rain hitting the window panes.    A crackling fireplace.  If you lack a fireplace, Woodwick brand makes crackling candles that mimic a crackling fire and also smell wonderful.  The sound of a drip coffee maker brewing a fresh pot of java in the morning. And sometimes the best sound of all is just complete silence.  Wake up before everyone else in the house and meditate. The sound of nothing can be a perfect start to your day!