From the editor: Dark nights and brushed cotton

I love it when Autumn and Winter arrive. They seem to turn up like a pair of kids just back from school, a muddle of limbs and entanglements, both clammering for attention and easy to muddle up, but equally distinct and with their own cheeky elements. One of my earliest bits of being self-aware was knowing that although my bedtime didn’t change year-round, I would go to bath and bed with a lot less hassle in the cooler months. Obviously one part of this was that it was just cold – and bed clothes are a lot more appealing when it’s chilly. The second was that going to sleep in the dark made a heck of a lot more sense than going to sleep while the sun was still in the sky.

This time of year moves into what the Scandis call ‘hygge’, which is defined as; “A quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” Hot water bottles move into rotation, bed socks turn up, brushed cotton pyjamas become the height of luxury, and real fires show real competition with smart phones for capturing hypnotised gazes.

Nesting sets in, and I tell myself that the carbs I eat the rest of the year round are now alright as they keep me warm with the likes of homemade cottage pie and roast dinners. And having pigs in blankets for dinner is alright so long as I have a veg with them too. Hurrah for party food in supermarkets!

As much as living by the coast allows me to celebrate the summertime, I love witnessing the sea churn in the storms, the rain coming down in sheets like a chilled monsoon, and shingle pelting onto Kingsway – all allow me to watch the marvellous seasons’ change. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Victoria Nangle
editorial@thelatest.co.uk