Cheap and cheerful winter activities

Chilly weather and long dark nights can make you feel a bit tetchy, especially when you’re saving all your dosh for Christmas/just a little bit broke. Conquer your cold weather blues with these three seasonal ideas that’ll cost you very little indeed and you’ll have more money left for important stuff. Like chocolate santas.

 

FEED WINTER SONGBIRDS
Birds need extra help in winter, when snowy weather makes it a struggle for them to find food. Helping them out by making them treats to eat is fun, rewarding and purse-friendly, and you don’t need a garden to make some new feathered friends – a windowsill will do just as well. Just sticking an apple half out will attract beautiful species such as waxwings and ramblings, or try making a popcorn and cranberry chain with a needle and thread to hang up in a tree – it looks very festive, too. I also love making fat balls out of kitchen scraps and suet to attract Christmassy robins. Learn more about how to attract different types of songbird here and buy bird feed to attract all types of birds from places like Vine House Farm.
 

GO ON A WINTRY NATURE WALK
The English countryside is far from barren in the midst of winter – flowers such as snowdrops and fairy primrose flourish over the colder months and can be seen all over the country. Check out this link for winter flowers that you could see during long, frosty walks or look at this guide to identifying trees by their winter silhouettes. Then pack up a thermos and head for the hills this weekend to get some colour in your cheeks and see what natural wonders you can find.

 

MAKE FESTIVE DECORATIONS
Torrential rain outside? Deck the halls indoors instead. There’s no need to spend your dosh on light up reindeer and glitzy baubles – get creative with nature for a craftier, cheaper Christmas. Scour Pinterest for ideas – you could dry slices of oranges to hang from the tree, spraypaint branches gold and silver, make a garland of pinecones… This awesome Buzzfeed article has 50 kooky ideas for wreaths made from household objects to adorn your front door.