Making Winter began in the Autumn of 2011 on my previous blog, as a creative antidote to the seemingly incessant grey days between November and March. I invited other bloggers to share what they had been making, baking and photographing to cheer them through the darker months of the year. I was thrilled by the response and reprised the project during the winter of 2015/2016.
Creative activities, especially those that have a repetitive element such as yarn craft, have been shown to cause the release of serotonin in the nervous system, leading to a sense of wellbeing. Serotonin levels are generally lower in the winter due to fewer hours and lower intensity of sunlight. Craft and creativity between November and March is an effective way to fend off the effects of lowered serotonin in winter, which in extreme cases can lead to a transient, seasonal depression called SAD.
Making Winter is, in essence, a British version of Hygge, a Danish word meaning cosiness, good food, candlelight, and enjoying good times with friends. I blogged about Hygge and its strong link with Making Winter here.