We’ve put away our short shorts, our sandals and our sun cream. The heating’s finally being turned on, it gets dark by 5pm and Christmas music is already being played in every shop, this can all only mean one thing, we’ve said goodbye to summer and we’re about to be greeted by a cold, dark winter. But fear not, with these essential winter items, perhaps you won’t spend the next 3 months wishing for summer to hurry up again and you’ll actually enjoy the Christmas period.
1.A winter coat
A serious need. It’s going to get cold so don’t buy a coat that’s thin and flimsy just because it has a butterfly buttons (although that would be cool.) Go for something warm, practical, affordable and adorable. Fur coats are perfect to keep the heat in and make you feel kind of like a cat, whereas something with sheepskin insides (fake of course) and a waterproof outside might be more practical in the snow and rain. Here’s a jacket that I absolute love and it looks so so snuggly. This faux fur jacket is from Topshop and is only £68 (but don’t forget you get student discount.)
2.A matching hat, gloves and scarf
Again, warmth and comfort are vital in the winter months as they’ll protect you from the vicious weather and getting that terrible cold you seem to have every Christmas that makes it hard to spot the difference between you and Rudolph. A hat, scarf and some gloves that match can be super cute and will make you feel ten times better when you have to walk to uni at 9am in the morning. I like this simple cream bobble hat from New look which at only £4.50 is not going to hurt your bank balance.
3.An ugly Christmas jumper
Since we’re still talking about fashion, I think these are an amazing purchase for winter and when pulled off do not look ugly at all. Buy one in XXXL and it’ll look really nice as a dress, paired with cotton tights and leather boots. Primark has a huge selection that you can get for really cheap making them perfect for those once a year outfits that you find yourself wearing.
4.Sexy lingerie
Probably not essential as such, but whilst you’re walking around in those big thick jumpers (no matter how cute they may be) you want to still feel a little sexy knowing you have underwear you’re proud to wear underneath. Plus, if you get caught under the mistletoe with anyone, it’ll be a nice surprise. And why not get something red like this set from Boux Avenue in order to celebrate Christmas even under all of your clothes.
5.Warm PJ’s
Let’s face it, students can’t afford to have the heating on 24/7 by any means and without a decent pair of pyjamas they’re likely to not want to get out of bed in the morning and will therefore miss their all-important lectures, however, if you find a nice pair of pjs, you’ll be happy to walk around the house without the heating on which will save you heaps of money. They can also be a great gift if you have a roommate who puts the heating on constantly because they’re walking around in slinky little shorts still pretending it’s summer. Maybe they’ll get the hint. This pug onesie at £34 from Topshop is way too adorable to not want.
6.Spiced apple and cinnamon scented candle
Now that fashion is out of the way, I personally think that the aroma of winter is one of the best. You smell the wood from the fire burning, the roast dinners, the hot chocolate, the Christmas trees, the frost and the mulled wine. Winter has its own smell and there’s no doubt about it, so why not get an early sample of that smell by filling your room with some of your favourite smells. I feel these festive flavours bring out a perfect smell of mulled wine and being in those winter markets that we all know and love.
7.Christmas music
From “Jingle Bells” to “Fairytale of New York” we all have our favourite Christmas song and they’re the type of songs which can make your frown turn upside down within seconds. Get some of the classics out and play them on repeat until your housemate goes crazy and get the whole street into a Christmassy mood. You can get “Now That’s What I Call Music Christmas” from Amazon for just £10.50 for all your favourite classics and new tunes.
8.Hot chocolate
I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to go through a whole winter without having a hot chocolate of some kind. I usually buy the little sashays 10 at a time and all different flavours, from white to orange to chilli. It’s nice to keep your insides warm as well as your outside so get drinking hot cocoa and feel the Christmas inside you. Plus the hot mugs will warm up your cold fingers which is an added bonus.
9.Christmas movies
Whether it be “The Grinch” (my personal favourite,) polar express, home alone, get a large collection of DVD’s for the days you just want to stay in and snuggle with your roommates drinking hot cocoa. If you’re too skint to buy the DVD’s like I assume many of you will be (due to spending all of your money on heating,) you can just get a copy of the TV guide and make notes of all the one’s you want to watch as there’s bound to be many Christmas movies on throughout the week.
10.Mints
It’s winter. There’ll be mistletoe hanging on every corner of every house and there’s always a chance you may end up locking lips with someone gorgeous, if that’s the case, you don’t want them to taste the chicken korma you just ate, so stick in a mint after every meal to avoid that awkward look in their eye after licking the mince pie from your lips.
With these essential winter items, I promise you, you’ll have the best winter you’ve ever had.