When I reveal I’m from Norway, people more often than not ask if we have reindeer walking through the streets and if I’ve ever seen the Northern lights. The answers are no and yes, for the record.
I grew up in Oslo and although it’s not in northern Norway, it still got very cold during winter. The average temperature in December is minus three degrees, but it can get a lot colder.
According to Extreme Weather Watch, the lowest it’s been this year was -23.1C. The coldest I remember it being was about -20C; according to the site, it was -20.5C in 2010, when I was 11 years old.
I distinctly remember my mum warning me it was going to be very cold. She wouldn’t let me go to school in my usual winter clothes and instead forced me into her hideous sheepskin coat, which in hindsight I am very thankful for.
I thought moving to the UK would spare me ever being too cold, but the British chill has a unique way of penetrating through walls, clothes, and bones. With that in mind, I’ve thought back to my freezing childhood for inexpensive ways to keep warm without having to turn on the heating.
Wear wool underwear
Woolly long johns are an absolute must
(Image: Zhanna Danilova/Getty Images)
My most important accessory growing up was my wool leggings and tops. I don’t mean the thick, baggy kind – what you need is thin leggings with a high percentage of wool in it, ideally more than 50 per cent.
Throw on a pair of those thin leggings and a matching long sleeved top, then put your normal clothes on over the top. I promise you’ll feel toastier than a crumpet.
These leggings from H&M are made of 100 per cent wool – they’re £42.99, but as long as you take proper care of them they’ll last you a lifetime. On the cheaper side, these leggings from Amazon start at £35.63 and have great reviews.
Invest in a space heater
‘Space heaters are dangerous,’ I hear you scream. Sure, that might be true if they’re not used properly; for the love of God, stop plugging them into extension cables.
The one we had growing up was definitely not safe. It was much older than me, had an open element and made the whole flat smell like burnt toast. But it kept us warm. The main advantage of a space heater is that it emits lots of hot air in a very short time and you can position it very near you rather than waiting for radiators to heat the whole room.
Nowadays, space heaters are much safer than they used to be. There’s lots of good and cheap ones out there; the Dreo Portable Space Heater has racked up rave reviews and you can read more about it here.
Run hot water over your pulse points
Running some hot water over your pulse points is a great way to heat up
(Image: Ausra Barysiene / EyeEm/Getty Images)
I’ve got Raynaud’s, which means my fingers turn blue and numb whenever I’m cold. I’ve figured out a few hacks to continue feeling my fingers after a long ski trip, and this one’s my favourite.
The pulse points are the places on the body where your veins are close enough to the surface to feel your pulse. The most easily accessible ones are on the insides of your wrists, right where you can see your veins.
By running hot water over those points, you’re essentially heating up your blood the tiniest bit, bringing up your overall body temperature. It’s a short-term solution, but it feels bloody lovely.
Eat soup
No, soup is not just for broke students. Other than being delicious, soup is extremely cheap to make and heats you up from the inside out.
Complex carbohydrates and root vegetables that take longer to digest make your body work harder, which also heats you up. If you choose to use that information as an excuse to make a butternut squash and lentil soup, be my guest.
Invest in proper slippers
Sheepskin slippers are the toastiest thing ever
(Image: deepblue4you/Getty Images)
One of the best gifts I ever got was a pair of pink sheepskin slippers. Even when it was -10C outside, I’d sometimes have to take them off because they were so hot.
Wool is obviously nice and cosy, but sheepskin adds a layer of insulation that’s bound to keep you from shivering. It certainly did for me.
If you can afford to, invest a little bit extra to get ones that reach your ankles, where you have another pulse point. Just like the wool underwear, the slippers are an investment – but if I hadn’t spilled alcohol all over them during the first year of uni, mine would be reaching their tenth birthday soon. Sorry, mum.
The Platinum Mintaro slippers from EMU Australia fit the bill perfectly. Elsewhere, there’s the Women’s Scuffette II Slipper from iconic brand UGG.
Layers are key
If you can’t afford wool underwear or fancy slippers right now, same. You can still stay toasty with what you’ve got though.
Layers are absolutely key when you’re cold because the air that gets trapped between layers acts as insulation from the cold. But don’t make the layers too tight, because the rewon’t be enough space for the air to actually exist.
My personal favourite is tights, then loose leggings, then sweatpants on the bottom. Couple that with a wool undershirt, a long-sleeve T-shirt and a hoodie, and you might start complaining you’re too hot. Luxury, right?
Stay up to date about London’s hottest events, latest restaurant openings, and best deals with our Going Out Out newsletter. Sign up HERE!