I don’t know how you feel about this but for me, the worst time of the year is not when days are getting shorter but when they’re just starting to get longer again. When the joy of Christmas time is fading again. When New Year resolutions begin to feel like more of a burden than a motivation. When the sky is a kind of mushy gray and temperatures are too high for snow you, however, still need to wear fat winter clothing limiting your ability to move. Work seems harder, it takes effort to concentrate, and gazing out of the window is tangibly dissatisfying.

Now, I must admit I have a hard time convincing myself that reading a book after a more or less frustrating day will lighten my mood. I’d rather lie around all day and watch some edifying but trashy movie or series for the 100th time and wallow in disgruntlement. Disgruntle…a great word, almost onomatopoetic, perfectly fitting the situation. Nevertheless, sinking into discontent is not an option, hence some ideas, some advice for fighting the winter blues.

1. Getting up early
   The sun might not do it, but I do! Being independent from daylight gives me a feeling of power. Also, I noticed that I get the more unpleasant tasks of the day done more properly and have some spare time for procrastinating with a cup of tea or coffee in-between working sessions.
2. Sports aka any kind of exercise
   Going hand in hand with my early bird action, I also started going jogging for half an hour every morning. It gets the circulation rolling and afterwards I get to enjoy the graet feeling that I accomplished something already. Took a while getting used to forcing myself out of bed, totally worth it though!
3. Books I found pleasing
   Since we’re at Lit4School here, some literary recommendations mustn’t be missing.
   I adore famous Paddington bear’s numerous little adventures. Admitting it being more of a children’s book, it nevertheless makes me smile involuntarily.
   Bob: No Ordninary Cat also made me quite happy. James Bowen’s adorable story of how a stray cat gave him the strength to turn his life upside down and inspired him to write this book is amazing.
   Holes was a fascinating novel as well. Not only did Louis Sacher create, what I think is a brilliant omniscent narrator. But he also invented unique characters making up a perfectly round and heartwarming story.
   I’m quite aware of the subjectiveness of this little list and often I am also guilty of being a fair-weather-reader, at least in Winter. When I asked around what books and other media made people happy, many different ideas came up. All time classics Harry Potter, the Percy Jackson series, and The Hunger Games were on the list for nostalgic reasons which I think makes a valid point. And I was told, I shouldn’t leave out all the Disney movies, always useful for a delightful movie night.
4. Fairylights
   Just because everything is better with fairylights, they chase away the greyness from outside.

What are your favourite books or movies for brightening your day?

I hope you can take something with you from this post if only the knowledge that you are not alone. Have a great day and a big smile!

Sarah-Sophia

“If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” – Winnie the Pooh

Above are some very wise words from one of our most favourite bears of all time: Winnie the Pooh. And I know, Pooh and his friends loved having Picnics in the Hundred-Acre-Wood. As did I when I was quite a bit younger, maybe four or five. It was at this age when I got my favourite teddy bear up to this day and called him Puh-Sonnenbär. I imagined him to be a relative of Winnie the Pooh and I wouldn’t go far without him and my other favourite cuddly toy, they even had to come to the Samaria Gorge where they were carried by my poor father in the end. Also quite disastrous was the one time I thought it a good idea to take Puh-Sonnenbär into the pool with me (“The bear must sweat horribly with his thick fur”, I thought). I am sure, stories and memories like these are present in everyone’s mind and they are good ones. I guess many of you also had tea parties or picnics with your teddy bears or maybe also took them to more exciting adventures.

Here, I also want to present some of the loveliest bear stories I know. However, I am always open to suggestions!

• Winnie the Pooh: The adventures of the beloved bear who loves honey and his friends before anything else in the world is perfect for enoucarging tolerance and understanding for the little perks of people.
• Corduroy: This cute picture book may be for really young students but it still is a heartwarming story about a teddy bear and a little girl who find each other.
• Paddington: The bear who taught us to always bring a marmalade sandwich in case one gets hungry also shows us a great deal of how to act and behave with others respectfully.

Upon all this, I almost feel like taking my Puh-Sonnenbär for a Picnic myself today and I think the beloved companion is a wonderful source for imagination and of course comfort.

Have a lovely Teddy Bear’s Picnic Day!

Sarah-Sophia