Fall has come and gone, the fruits of our labor have been harvested and dead leaves clutter the sidewalk, waiting for absent-minded pedestrians to slip on. Now is the time of extreme weather, cozy holiday traditions and heaps of baked goods — a time called winter, from the Proto-Germanic wintruz (the last and coldest season) and Proto-Indo-European wend (as in water, or “the wet season”).
Despite typical associations with dreariness, winter is a season of abundance — though not in the typical sense of the word. It’s an end and a beginning, and it connects the decay of fall with the rebirth of spring. Not convinced? We’ve collected 10 of the most beautiful words about winter, which are sure to get you in the spirit.
Wonderful Winter Words To Keep You Warm
Frosty
Frosty: a cold word for a cold season. It evokes images of fuzzy frost frozen on your car’s windshield, waiting to be scraped off. Or the “Your fingers will turn blue and fall off!” threat of frostbite that parents use to frighten their young ones into wearing mittens. In pop culture, the word appears in iconic personifications of the season, like the sprightly Jack Frost (a derivative of Old Man Winter) and every child’s jolly best friend, Frosty the Snowman.
Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman’s claymation buddy Rudolph brings us to our next winter word, reindeer. It’s a blend of Proto-Germanic Renn (as in rennen, “to run”) and Old Norse dyr. Despite the casual misconception that reindeers don’t actually exist, these fluffy, big-horned deer, also known as caribou, are found all over Europe, Siberia and North America. Unlike us humans, reindeer generally thrive in the cold, as their fur and blood circulation are adapted to withstand the rough winter season.
Snow
We can’t talk about winter without including snow in our list. In places where it actually snows — or any place tangentially connected to colder climates — snow is probably the most winter word if there ever was one (the Southern Hemisphere begs to differ). Children in these parts of the world wish for an idyllic White Christmas, or an unexpected blizzard to give them a snow day free from school. For adults, it simultaneously provokes loathing of shoveling driveways and joy from witnessing their regular surroundings transform into a glistening winter wonderland.
Fireplace
The greatest refuge from snow and harsh weather is a snug spot in front of the fireplace. The word itself is perhaps nothing but a compound word, but the warmth that fire brings to a familiar place makes for an extremely cozy setting.
Spending time together around a hearth is an iconic pastime that pops up in various cultural representations of the season. Nat King Cole’s swooning voice singing “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” comes to mind. Or take the yule log, for example: Originally a Christian variation of the Pagan custom of selecting a special log to symbolically burn throughout the yuletide, it’s a tradition that has since evolved into decorating a cake to look like a log of wood.
Hibernation
Did you know that hibernation comes from the Latin hibernationem, meaning “to pass the winter”? This process is typically associated with wild animals such as bears or rodents that squirrel away nuts, build up fat deposits and presumably hit snooze on their alarm clocks until spring arrives.
We humans also partake in a more casual version of hibernation: We devour copious amounts of food in celebratory feasts and whittle away most of our time inside where it’s usually warmer and brighter than it is outside. (And while it didn’t make this winter word list, here’s a shoutout to those light therapy lamps that mimic sunlight — you might want to consider investing in one if you experience seasonal affective disorder.)
Wool
What better way to hibernate this winter than swaddled in your coziest sweater, fuzziest socks and warmest blanket? Throughout the ages, wool has been a main material used to spin, knit and weave warm pieces of clothing. Wool, like wolle (German) or wol (Dutch), comes from Proto-Germanic wulno, the coat of hair from animals such as sheep. Aside from the practical benefits, the soft and gentle sound of this winter word also feels like a well-needed hug on a cold and dark winter’s day.
Holidays
Now that we’ve covered the slightly lumpy and questionably-colored wool scarf you received from a distant relative, we can talk about when you received it: during the holidays. December through mid-March is packed full of various (usually religious-based) traditions and festivities.
We’ve got Sankta Lucia, Nikolaustag, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, Three Kings Day and Mardi Gras (and that’s by no means an exhaustive list). Most involve some combination of communal singing (or caroling), bountiful feasts and gift exchanges. For most people, they’re undoubtedly a highlight of the winter season, so this winter word has certainly earned its spot on the list.
Winter Solstice
If it’s the middle of December and warm, sunny days are nowhere to be seen, have no fear — the hump day of winter is almost here. That day is the winter solstice, the shortest and bleakest day of the year. After December 21 (or the 22 or 23, depending on the year) days get progressively longer and brighter until the summer solstice. That is, unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, where exactly the opposite happens.
Many ancient cultures celebrated the winter solstice, midwinter or yuletide (remember the Pagan yule log from above?) in different ways. Generally, people regarded it as a period of rebirth, evident to this day in the name for the traditional Persian solstice festival, Shab-e Yaldā (with Yaldā meaning birth).
Spice
Spice, from the Latin species, meaning type or sort of something, includes essentially any aromatic substance that adds distinct flavor to consumables (most commonly food, but also medication, if you’re an old-timey alchemist). During winter, you’re pretty likely to run into the likes of vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves for your baked goods.
The cozy holiday tradition of baking brings generations together to mass-produce cookies, cakes, pies and puddings on an almost industrial level for the entire family to share. It really wouldn’t be the holidays without excessive quantities of sweets.
Eggnog
Speaking of spices, eggnog deserves its very own spot in the list. This quirky American winter word combines egg (pretty self-explanatory) with nog (a strong alcoholic brew) to create, well, milk punch. It doesn’t sound all that appetizing, but trust us when we say that anything with that much cream, sugary alcohol and a dash of spice is absolutely delicious.
It’s also an easy-to-down dessert-like drink, so it’s no wonder eggnog bowls have become a cliché fixture at office and family holiday parties. Not everyone loves it, but the controversy only adds to its cultural status. The fact that a similar drink was used as a flu remedy in medieval England might just be your next excuse to help yourself to another mug.