Sweet and simple getaways within your own abode
I think you know what I mean when I say life hasn’t been a walk in the park lately – both figuratively and literally. And with the stay-at-home state of things, it’s never been more important to be mindful of your emotions and to nurture your wellbeing. But, if you feel as though you need to break free more desperately than Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, don’t resort to a rock hammer and Rita Hayworth poster. There are ways to create a calm haven at home. So skip the news, dispense with the digital realm for a while, and escape in the sanctuary of your own space.
Self-soothe with a spa day
I doubt anyone’s ever felt stressed at a spa. There’s a reason that ritual bathing has been a prominent practice for millennia. If you’re in need of a little TLC, a simple at-home spa day could be calling your name. Light your most delicious candle, cue up a Zen playlist on Spotify, and have your fluffiest (or daggiest) dressing gown ready to go. Take a steamy shower or a long luxurious bath – bonus points if you have Epsom salts, bath bombs, or essential oils – and allow all the fibres of your being to loosen. Imagine every muscle melting gently at the caress of the water, each worry or niggling thought lifted from you in the whorls of steam, evaporating as they rise.
Post-bathing, brew yourself a pot of tea, or pour something stronger if you so choose, and lather yourself with your best body lotion. Bust out the nail polish for a mani-pedi, or indulge in a face mask made with home-sourced ingredients: avocado, honey, oats – there’s a recipe on Google for whatever your pantry may possess. If you happen to have loved ones who want a piece of the relaxing action, make it a communal experience à la ancient Rome, taking turns to primp and paint.
Stay in and camp out
Whether you’re a connoisseur of all things camping, or you’d rather have perpetual pins and needles than experience the outdoors in a tent, a stay-at-home campsite is an ideal way to unwind. Pitch up in your yard, fi re up the mozzie coils and enjoy an evening chilling out to good tunes, or soaking in the sweet serenade of nature’s night music. If you’re lacking in real estate or canvas, consider a camp out in your living room – complete with mattress, cosy blankets and the luxury of indoor heating. Tell stories by torchlight, or set a magical mood with a few tealight candles. Camping is also a great time to break out the board games – you know, those dust-covered boxes that house many a nostalgic family memory, predating the likes of Candy Crush and TikTok.
Don’t move movies
Rather than scrolling aimlessly through the thousand and one Netflix offerings, why not play usher to your very own film festival? Pick your theme – Westerns, Matthew McConaughey, or the failsafe: Harry Potter. Then cultivate your own in-house candy bar with your favourite film-goer snacks. If little ones are involved, try your hand at homemade choc-tops for a fun way to build anticipation, for the food and the film. You can spread the event out over several days (this is where Harry Potter comes in handy), or combine your film festival with your living room camp out.
Abroad inside
Escape to your dream destination from the comfort of your couch for the low price of a little creativity. With some coffee, preserves, fresh pastries, and the right attitude, you could very well be frolicking in France. Spread out a picnic rug, pop Midnight in Paris on the telly – or a queue of thematic films as above – and pretend that you’re in the City of Light. Something a little more exotic? Put on a banquet of biriyani, dhal, and naan, burn some incense and journey to the spice-scented streets of India.
Connection in the kitchen
Whether your inner pâtissier rivals that of Adriano Zumbo, or you’re more Uber Eats than hand-crafted treats, baking is an almost meditative pastime that bears sweet rewards. There’s a meme making the rounds that points to the state of the world bizarrely stirring up the desire to bake banana bread. It’s true, you can’t watch an Instagram story or scroll through Facebook without encountering your cousin’s best-friend’s latest home-baked good, or a sumptuous new recipe touted by a celebrity. But that’s because a) banana bread is flippin’ delicious, and b) baking brings us back to a place of simplicity, of creating something from a few ingredients with our own two hands, of taking the time to be in the moment – sift your hands through the silky dunes of flour, savour the rich aromas of vanilla extract and warm cinnamon.
Many hands make light work, so get your loved ones involved in a bake day; whisk to the beat of your favourite songs, take turns mashing and measuring and stirring. If your cake doesn’t cut it? Who cares, licking the bowl is the best part, anyway. There will be mess, but there’ll be magical memories made at the same time, and what could be sweeter than that?
