It can be daunting to think about the top winter challenges in Atlanta. But winter isn’t all bad. It can actually be pretty fun if you have a creative mind, a bit of snow and lots of cozy stuff lying around.

Make Hot Chocolate

When cold weather hits, we all reach for warmth. For some, this comes in the form of a fresh coffee. Others bust out heated blankets and fluffy sweatpants. While these are all good options, nothing really beats the classical drink of hot chocolate.

If you don’t want to make a cup yourself, many coffee shops offer it as an option, but most prefer to either make it from scratch or rely on powders and mixes. Recipes may call for cocoa powder, dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, or, more likely, a mix of both to get that rich, creamy flavor we all know and love. 

That being said, there is an argument between people about what the liquid base should be. Most homemade recipes call for milk because it adds a richness to the flavor, but many mixes and powders allow you to choose between milk or water. Milk may taste better, but water is more convenient. It can be boiled on the stove, in a kettle or in the microwave with few issues. 

Milk, on the other hand, must either be warmed on the stove, which is pretty simple, or needs to be carefully monitored in the microwave. It can easily boil over and create a huge mess. Milk also isn’t ideal for those with a sensitivity or intolerance to lactose. Just do what tastes best to you and don’t let the discourse get to you.

Play in the Snow

Snowfall is one of the most interesting weathers to experience, especially in the morning. The generally quiet early hours fall completely silent as it seems like the world stops to watch the snowflakes fall with you. 

The gentle white crystals slowly cover the cold ground in an even colder blanket, and watching it slowly accumulate on the grass and your neighbor’s roofs just feels so magical. Eventually, this calm quiet has to end so the fun can begin.

Once there’s enough snow on the ground, you’ll likely see adults shoveling the driveway so they can get to work and kids throwing snowballs and debating about how to decorate their 

snowman. If those aren’t your thing, then maybe making snow angels or sledding down the big hill in your backyard is. 

Of course, you can still enjoy the effects snow has had on the nature around you, too. Hikes are a great way to do this as you can travel into a quiet, remote area and just take in the ambience: birds chirping to each other, snow shifting and falling off of branches, and, sometimes, just a wintery wonderland soaking in silence.

If a winter hike isn’t the right thing for you but you still want to experience the wildlife, then you can turn your backyard into a bird haven. Some tube and suet feeders filled with the appropriate feed will attract all kinds of birds, from the skittish bright-red cardinals to one of the many species of woodpecker to even the loud blue jays. 

The best part is that all of them will look all chubby and fluffy as they puff their feathers to try and stay warm.

Get Cozy Indoors

Spending time outside in the winter is only really worth it when there’s snow on the ground; it’s just too cold otherwise. This makes it the perfect time to build a pillow fort and binge all of your favorite movies! 

All you need is a few chairs, some blankets and plenty of pillows to make the perfect fort. Arrange the furniture so that there’s not only a cozy cave to hang out in but also so there’s an opening facing the TV so you can see the movie. Then, drape the ballets and cover the floor in as many pillows as you like.

Once the fort is complete, make a list of all of the movies you want to watch and, more importantly, where to find them. You may have some on discs, which you’ll want to keep nearby, while the rest are strewn across different streaming services. Knowing where each one is will make the viewing experience much smoother.

Once the list is complete and you’ve got an idea of where to start, make some snacks! Chips, candy, popcorn and more all make great movie snacks. You can even order a pizza for dinner if you’d like. Once the food is ready, the movies are picked out and the fort is all cozy, settle in for one of the best experiences winter can bring.