winter bucket list: surviving the cold and finding rest

fun fact: christmas lands just a few days into winter. which means once the holidays are packed away, there’s still a long stretch of short, dark, cold days ahead.

i don’t know about you, but i often find myself wishing those days away. counting down to spring. waiting for green. so instead, we started making our winter bucket list specifically for the post-holiday season — not for december magic, but for january and february living. it’s our way of embracing winter for winter’s sake.

not surviving it.
not rushing it.
actually living it.

if you’re looking for winter bucket list ideas for families that feel cozy, doable, and grounded—this is for you. join us by printing your own copy of our free fill-in-the-blank winter bucket list and customize it for your family’s season.

let's start by setting the vibe

winter bucket listing starts here. this list isn’t about grand plans. it’s not about big goals. it’s not about doing all the things. our culture loves the “new year, new you” energy, but what if we took our cues from nature instead. nature rests. trees wait. animals hunker down. there’s wisdom there.

when you write your winter bucket list, tap into that energy. and try to get your kids to do the same (good luck). think cozy. think slow. think: what would make these dark days feel gentler?

winter bucket list ideas for the senses

i like my winter bucket list to set the tone of the whole season. and for me, that means thinking in senses.

• sight: this year my list included thrifting lamps. dark days call for cozy light. maybe you leave up the christmas tree a bit longer for the glow. maybe you string fairy lights along the ceiling. maybe you rearrange a room just to feel something different. winter bucket list ideas don’t have to be dramatic. sometimes they’re just about better lighting.
• smell: light more candles. make more fires. simmer something citrusy on the stove. winter is scent season. lean into it.
• touch: this year i bought wool socks. i live in virginia, so unending bitter cold isn’t really part of winter here, but my feet were always cold. so: wool socks. i also love a heating pad during the day. spreading cozy blankets throughout the house. claiming a corner of the couch as mine. maybe this header should just be warmth.
• sound: maybe it’s more quiet—listening to birds in the morning. maybe it’s more music in the evenings. maybe it’s audiobooks from the library playing in the car. winter bucket lists can be about reducing noise, or choosing it more carefully.

winter bucket list ideas for restful fun

fun can still be restful. one of my favorite prompts when making a winter bucket list is this: what is something i loved doing in the past that i wish i did more of—or could teach my kids?

some winter bucket list ideas for families:

• revisit an old hobby. nostalgia projects like perler beads, friendship bracelets, cross stitch, or puzzles. something your hands still remember.
• re-learn a favorite card game or teach one to family and friends. i sometimes forget my kids are growing up constantly. a game that once felt “too complicated” might now be just right.
• make the most of the cold. take chilly walks. poke at frozen puddles. notice winter. adding these to your list reminds you it’s still okay to go outside.

winter doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.

winter bucket list ideas for food and drink

i told you i was saving taste for its own category. winter and good food go hand in hand. dinner happens after dark anyway, so it feels less rushed. slower. more intentional. if you’re building a winter bucket list, leave plenty of lines for food.

• make more of what you love: more soup nights. more special pastries on the weekends. more tacos. more of whatever already feels like comfort.
• drink more warm beverages: try a new tea. restock your favorite. go on a quest to make the perfect hot chocolate (calling it a quest gets kids on board immediately). turn after-school time into hot beverage time. teach your kids to use the kettle. huge win.
• create a new weekly ritual: sunday pancakes, friday pizza night, wednesday snack platters by candlelight. repetition is comforting.
• use what you have: cook from the pantry. make a game out of it. choose three random ingredients and figure it out. winter is a good season for resourcefulness.

winter bucket list ideas for making life easier

sometimes rest looks like making your surroundings work just a little better. winter is a great time for small functional resets. not spring cleaning. not big black trash bag energy. just quiet improvements.

• have a fix-it day. pull out the sewing machine. repair beloved clothes and stuffed animals. glue broken toys. tighten loose furniture legs.
• plan ahead for easy. stock up on frozen favorites. write a family movie night list. create a low-energy plan for low-energy days.
• organize something that makes you irrationally angry. the drawer with the rogue potato masher. the coat closet with not enough hangers.

think of it as investing in future rest.

winter bucket list ideas for community

maybe you’re not big on rest. maybe staying home and living your best hobbit life isn’t your vibe. that’s okay. the key ingredient to making winter feel bigger is community. almost everything above can become a gathering:

• host a potluck or cookie swap (so much more fun without holiday stress)
• have a game night or craft night—or for even less effort just swap family favorite games, puzzles or craft supplies with a friend.
• host a skills trade where someone teaches you to sew that button back on and you teach them your family’s favorite soup recipe
• rotate houses and provide moral support and hot beverages while someone tackles their chaotic utensil drawer

everything’s a party in the winter. just keep it chill. embrace the imperfect house. the kids running in and out. the friend who drops by for thirty minutes and leaves. embrace winter.

print your winter bucket list and plan for rest

ready to set your intentions for a restful winter season? our free printable winter bucket list is available exclusively in our subscriber-only freebie library — along with all of our seasonal bucket lists and other family-friendly printables.

signing up is easy. enter your email below and the link to our freebie library will land straight into your inbox. print it. fill it in. and let winter be winter.