Battle against winter

The Friday Five at RevGalBlogPals:

Please give us five suggestions for combating cabin fever and staying cheerful in our monochromatic world?

1. First, sometimes monochromatic is beautiful. When I'm thinking that the world is ugly during winter -- all one color, dead looking -- I take my digital camera out into the world and start taking pictures. Yesterday, at our local Catholic retreat center, I found stained glass, a fountain, tree buds, interesting bark and snow. The world is always alive with the presence of God if we'll look for it.
2. Cook something fun. Soup. Homemade bread. Or if you have to come home from work in the dark, plan ahead. Start something in the Crock Pot -- yesterday it was a chicken. There is nothing like coming home and smelling food that is ready to eat.
3. Candles in the fireplace -- easier than an actual fire, and it still looks cozy. Burn those candles. What are you saving them for?
4. Turn off the TV and have dinner with your kids. It's really interesting what they will say when given attention.
5. Get out and have dinner and coffee with friends. It brightens up your world (at least, it does mine!).