Editorial January 2010

Written by sally_in_wales

Happy New Year everyone!

New Year often comes with slightly mixed feelings for a lot of us. One one hand, there is frequently a feeling of mild relief that the various midwinter festivities are winding down, no matter how much we enjoyed them, whilst on the other there may be a nagging feeling that perhaps we ought to be racing full tilt at the new year, raring to go and ready to do more (or less but more efficiently perhaps) in 2010. For most of us the nights are long and cold, and the days short and frequently damp, and the temptation to hibernate can make January feel a little bit dismal. Fear not, we have all sorts of suggestions to help cheer up January as we wait for the days to lengthen again.

If you do feel inclined to make some resolutions for 2010 you may wish to consider the Downsizer Book Challenge, or perhaps record your aspirations for the year in the 2010 Downsizing Priorities thread.

Most Downsizers love their food, and we have a wealth of ideas both in the Recipes section and within the forum posts. Why not make an easily achieved resolution to add your own favourite recipe to the recipe database? January is also a perfect month to make marmalade.

Although the weather may make gardening difficult at times, there are still suggestions of What to do on the plot in January and there is the great pleasure of curling up with the seed catalogues and deciding on what to grow later on. If you are considering taking on a new allotment this year, there may be some ideas to help you plan it in this article. The Grow Your Own forum has had a lot of discussion on different seed varieties recently, what would you like to grow this year?

If the weather should keep you indoors, having a few craft projects planned can make very productive use of the time. Consider making nice thick socks, a shawl from recycled yarn, or maybe a batch of soap to see you through the year. If your skin suffers in the cold, this hand cream recipe might be just the thing. Look out for a new series of 'Knitting for the Nervous' articles starting later this month, aimed at helping you explore new knitting techniques in easy mini projects.

Whatever your aspirations for the year, we all hope it brings you everything you hope for and dream of.