The Pleasures of Wintering: Winter-Inspired Rituals for Rejuvenation, Serenity, and Joy

by Erin Niimi Longhurst

Discover the enriching lessons of winter through practices that promote rest, contemplation, and rejuvenation, including rituals for self-care, slow living, mindfulness, and creativity. Perfect for fans of Wintering and How to Do Nothing.

Wintering is the practice of slowing down to rest and recuperate, just as nature does in the quiet winter months. This enchanting little book makes it easy to discover the joys of these essential pauses that allow us to nourish our bodies, quiet our minds, and rejuvenate our spirits so we can welcome the bright promises of spring. A mix of evocative photography and charming illustration enriches the experience, inviting us to browse, linger, contemplate, and engage with the reflections and suggestions.

Organized around the five senses--with advice on what to see, what to listen for, what to touch, how to breathe, and how to taste--these pages make it easy to create your own wintering practice through:

• Nature-inspired rituals for rest, stillness, and contemplation
• Recipes, meditations, and creative projects to encourage slow living
• Inspiration from wintering traditions throughout the world
• And so much more.

Brimming with enlightening lessons and lovely, nature-inspired artwork throughout, this cozy companion from the author of A Little Book of Japanese Contentments reminds us that moments of peace, beauty, and joy are always available if we know how to look for them.

EASY GUIDE TO SELF-CARE: This petite handbook-sized volume is filled with inspiring wisdom and simple-to-follow tips, offering easy ways to incorporate rituals for well-being into our everyday lives.

DIGITAL DETOX: Filled with screen-free activities, The Pleasures of Wintering offers an enriching alternative for anyone exhausted by social media and invites us to experience the joys of being present, slowing down, and embracing simple pleasures.

WELLNESS GIFT: This beautifully designed hardcover book is infinitely giftable to friends, family, partners, co-workers, students, or anyone who needs a gentle pick-me-up.

Perfect for:

• Meditators and mindfulness practitioners
• Nature enthusiasts and people interested in cold-water plunging and other forms of contrast therapy
• Anyone interested in digital detoxing and stress relief
• Crafters, artists, knitters, journalers, or anyone seeking to kickstart a creative habit
• Readers of personal development and self-help bestsellers like Wintering and How to Do Nothing

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

256 pages, Hardcover

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Erin Niimi Longhurst is a half-Japanese, half-British writer and blogger. She currently works as a social media and digital consultant, helping charities, nonprofits, and foundations to improve their interactions with those who are important to them, by telling their stories more effectively online. Her blog, Island Bell, focuses on food, travel, and lifestyle. She is a graduate of the University of Manchester with a degree in social anthropology.

Reviews

[Kaitlyn Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I really enjoyed the photos, quotes, and physical layout of this book! I found myself relating to the advice and embracing self help ideas. However, this title is misleading as the book is really not about winter, but more about finding creativity in all seasons of life through the 5 senses. Going into the book with that awareness would have helped me appreciate the writing more.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Pleasures of Wintering" is a gentle, reflective exploration of creativity, comfort, and meaning during the darker months and life. Erin Niimi Longhurst writes with an openness that will resonate deeply with many readers—especially those drawn to reflective living, sensory practices, and tending to one’s inner world.

I’m not entirely sure I’m the book’s core audience, though. While I appreciated the warmth and vulnerability in her stories, much of the tone and perspective felt geared toward a younger reader—someone still shaping their identity and creative practices. At this stage of my life, some passages read like ideas or emotions I might have had in my twenties or early thirties. Still, there were several moments of recognition, especially when she wrote about navigating the tension of growing up between cultures and not always knowing where one belongs. Though my own background is different, that feeling is universal enough to land.

I struggle with the long nights of winter—the darkness more than the cold—so I was hoping for a bit more depth in that area. Longhurst touches on the theme, but the chapters sometimes felt a little scattered, and I found myself wishing for a steadier, more cohesive narrative thread. The quotes woven throughout were a bright spot, and the section on listening stood out as one of the strongest parts of the book.

Visually, the digital ARC didn’t do the photography any favors; the images felt more like stock photos, even if they were pretty. I imagine they’d come across much better in the print edition, especially since Chronicle Books usually produces such beautiful books.

Readers who are newer to exploring creativity, ritual, and seasonal reflection will likely get the most from this. Many of the suggestions—using your senses intentionally, trying new things to unlock creativity—are ideas I’m already familiar with, but they’re presented with sincerity. Longhurst clearly comes from a life shaped by supportive family, travel, and a certain amount of privilege, but the affection she holds for her parents and grandparents is genuinely lovely.

My biggest takeaways: embracing creativity makes life richer, small sensory shifts can spark new ways of seeing, and winter offers its own kind of quiet invitation. I liked this book, even if I didn’t fully connect with it, and I suspect it will be a meaningful companion for readers who are seeking comfort, inspiration, or a way to gently reorient themselves during the darker months.

Thank you to NetGalley, Chronicle and the author for providing me with a digital ARC.

[Christine Gustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

I loved so much of this book. The layout, the simplicity, the flow—all delightful. The images are STUNNING. This books has strong Hygge vibes and would make the perfect coffee table book for many thoughtful creatives.

As much as I loved this book and appreciated much of the content, there were also a few random tangents into topics that felt unnecessary and possibly irrelevant (such as tarot cards).

Although this book is marketed as somewhat of a “how-to” book on this topic, I’d personally recommend approaching it as more of a memoir or collection of personal reflections sprinkled with a bit of researched backed information.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful and beautiful collection of ideas on how to “winter” well and you are willing to take some things with a grain of salt, this book is for you!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Bebo Saucier Carrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful little blend of memoir and self-care for creatives. Truthfully, this book was not what I was expecting. When I read the word "rituals" I was thinking this book would have a more spiritual bent to it, and while aspects of spirituality are mentioned, that was not the focus here, and it kind of disappointed me. But I suppose that's on me for going solely off the title. I really liked some of the ideas here, and they're certainly ones that my little seasonal affective disorder ass will be taking to heart as I try to make it through my least favorite time of year.

A note on book format: the pictures interrupted my reading instead of enhancing it. You'll be reading a page, and then the sentence stops before the page ends and you have to thumb through a few pages of pictures before getting to the next page of words to finish the sentence. It's truly odd and jarring.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part memoir, part "how-to" guide, Erin Niimi Longhurst's lovely book "The Pleasures of Wintering" expounds on the beauty of this often-reviled season (I am guilty of this myself). Winter is dark, and cold, and generally unpleasant, but it doesn't have to be. It is a season for turning inward, for hot mugs of tea and soup, for curling up under cozy blankets and reading or binge-watching favorite television shows. Longhurst offers several ways to thrive in this challenging season, including simple rituals of self-care and emotional healing, creativity, and introspection. This book is simply written but not juvenile; it is created to draw readers into its warmth. This book is charming. It has gentle, practical advice and beautiful photos. Overall, a delightful read, one I will be recommending to others as winter creeps closer.

[Michelle Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wonderful concept, scattered execution.

As someone who suffers from seasonal depression, the title and synopsis of The Pleasures of Wintering appealed greatly. I meditate and have an indoor garden and I’m always looking for more things to bring me peace and happiness; so I was looking forward to what I might learn from this guide.

My issues with this -

*allllllll the photographs and art. It’s excessive and took me away from what I was trying to read. It’s too busy to add to one searching for calm.

*the chapters struck me more as individual thought rants, blog posts, or essays. It was not a seamless read.

These issues detracted from the relaxing vibe I was looking for in pages. Other readers may get more from this, but I didn’t find what I was hoping to.



Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the DRC

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this book because I struggle with our long winters in Minnesota, but it was not the sort of book I expected. It’s a lovely and thoughtful book, with essays about the author‘s life, general suggestions about activities to try like cold plunges, and many stock photos. There are often two full page stock photos in a row and it just felt like browsing winter themes in shutterstock. The author is a truly likable writer and this will be a wonderful read if you just want to curl up in the winter with her thoughts and suggestions, but I personally was hoping for more concise, actionable content.

I read an online, temporary copy of this book via netgalley.

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for NetGalley. To be posted on or around day of publication. October 6, 2025.

[Yvette Kalinowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book should have been a blog post. Or, like, a series of instagram stories. Not what I hoped it would be.

[Tara]

I think I was expecting more ritual and less personal story. I enjoyed the quotes and some of the ideas for "rituals" but wanted a bit more out of it.

[Kimberly Rushton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little book with some good reminders and tips for embracing the winter months.

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I enjoyed the most about this book was that it is not limited to one practice. There are lots of ideas on how to promote rest, contemplation, and rejuvenation. The proverbs are great and there are a ton of beautiful winter themed photos.

4 stars