How Saffas Learn to Own Winter
A calm, practical guide to getting through UK winters without losing yourself
A note from us
If you’ve struggled with UK winters, you’re not weak, broken, or doing it wrong.
You’re just adjusting to a climate that behaves very differently from the one we grew up with.
Our first winters here knocked us sideways. The cold wasn’t dramatic. The rain wasn’t violent. It was just… constant. Grey. Damp. Quietly draining.
What changed everything wasn’t toughness. It was learning how winter actually works here, and making a few smart, low-effort adjustments that made life feel human again.
This guide isn’t about loving winter.
It’s about owning it.
The one thing most people get wrong about UK winter
UK winter isn’t harsh — it’s persistent.
It’s not the temperature that gets you. It’s the damp, the lack of light, and the way the days blend together. Back home, weather changes feel alive. Here, winter can feel like the same day repeating.
Once we understood that, everything shifted. We stopped fighting winter and started working with it.
The three things that actually matter
After years of trial and error, we’ve learned this:
Almost everything that makes winter hard comes down to three things.
1. Real warmth (not just heating)
Heating the whole house all day is expensive and stressful. What works better is local, predictable warmth where you actually sit and live.
For us, that meant:
A heated blanket in the lounge — cheap to run, deeply comforting, and often enough on its own
A gas heater for the main living space, so we can warm the room properly, then keep it ticking over on a low setting without bill anxiety
Warm feet at all times — Uggs indoors when it’s really cold, or proper slippers that actually insulate
Warmth isn’t luxury. It’s nervous-system support.
2. Light and vitamin D (this is the big one)
This was the biggest change of all.
Last winter, we relied heavily on a SAD lamp just to feel normal. This year, we started using liposomal vitamin D, and the difference has been extraordinary.
Our mood lifted. Energy returned. The grey stopped feeling so heavy.
Liposomal vitamin D absorbs far better than standard tablets, and for sun-soaked South Africans, that absorption matters. This isn’t about optimisation — it’s about replacing something your body expects and isn’t getting.
We still use light when we can, but vitamin D became the foundation.
3. Routine and social warmth
Winter gets harder when life shrinks.
What helps isn’t forcing productivity — it’s ritual:
A warm drink at the same time every evening
Familiar music or shows
Pub afternoons, rugby weekends, or simple cook-ups
Regular check-ins with people who get it
You don’t need a packed diary. You need anchors.
Small things that quietly make a big difference
These aren’t glamorous, but they remove daily friction:
Windscreen covers — no more standing outside scraping ice and freezing before the day even starts
Uniqlo Heattech / cashmere blend base layers — light, warm, affordable, and easy to live in
Dehumidifier bags or regular airing — damp makes everything feel colder and heavier
Hot water bottles — still undefeated
None of these fix winter on their own. Together, they change how winter feels.
What we stopped worrying about
We stopped trying to:
Heat the entire house evenly
Buy expensive “perfect” winter gear
Push through winter as if it’s a test of character
Winter isn’t something to conquer. It’s something to manage kindly.
A simple winter mindset shift
You don’t need to enjoy winter.
You just need to stop letting it run the show.
Once you feel warm enough, rested enough, and connected enough, winter loses its edge. And then something strange happens: you notice the first green shoots. The light stretching in the evenings. The sudden, explosive arrival of spring.
For South Africans, that moment is magic.
It feels earned.
A gentle reminder
If winter has felt long, you haven’t failed.
You’ve been adapting.
And adaptation is what we do best.
Spring doesn’t creep in here — it erupts.
And when it does, you’ll be ready.
Want to personalise this?
Keep what works. Ignore what doesn’t. Add your own rituals. Share this with another Saffa who might be quietly struggling.
Owning winter isn’t about doing everything.
It’s about doing enough.
— Sarah & Troy
The information in this newsletter is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Consult a qualified expert before making decisions based on this content.
