And now, a recipe

Sarah’s Winter Delight

1. Take your favorite mug or cup, preferably something with a pretty picture on it.

2. Into this cup, put:

3 spoonfuls of sugar
1 spoonful of cocoa powder
a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon
a teeny tiny dash of ground cloves

(Whether you use teaspoons or tablespoons depends on the size of the cup and your taste. Winter Delights are 95% art and only 5% science.)

3. Into the cup, pour boiling water. It is best if you keep a hot-water heater (the kind people use on Shabbat and at parties) going at all times, so you can have a Winter Delight whenever the mood strikes. Pour the water about half or 2/3 of the way up, depending on the size of the cup.

4. If you want, you can then add milk or Vanilla Rice Dream (not regular. Oh, no. Vanilla). Drink and enjoy. Remember to cup both hands around the mug sometimes, so the warmth will spread into your hands.

5. Optional: light a scented candle, preferably in Spiced Pumpkin or Oatmeal Raisin Cookie or some other baked-goods flavors. If you light it in advance, the aromas from your Delights will mingle together, taking you back to Grandma’s kitchen. It does not matter whether your Grandma ever baked. You know what I mean.

6. Optional: Enjoy in bed with a good book.

7. You can also put on an Enya CD.

I recommend doing this at least once a day, all winter, for emotional equilibrium. And if, a few hours before having your Winter Delight, you put on an 80’s pop mix and dance as if no one is watching (because they are not), it couldn’t hurt.