Cabin Fever! What's the Cure?
Yes, going out and trying activities around the Alexandria area can be crazy fun, but you did rent a cabin during a Minnesotan winter so maybe you just want to stay in. Since the world is so crazy town right now it can be nice to indulge in some hygge. What is hygge? I am thrilled that you asked! Per Merriam-Webster; hygge is a Danish term that references coziness and comfort. So, when you’re wearing your PJ’s and snuggled up by a fire watching a movie with your favorite people you’re experiencing the feeling of hygge.
Speaking of movies, I want to recommend some good winter-themed options for your family to settle in and argue about watching.
Maybe you’re in the mood for a little romance! Here are some good options:
Titanic
Available on Starz, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube TV
The Holiday
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Last Holiday
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Carol
Available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
Let It Snow
Available on Netflix
Love Actually
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Available on Starz, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Just Friends
Available on Amazon Prime Video
When Harry Met Sally
Available on HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video
Want to laugh and get some comedy in your life? Here are some good options:
Groundhog Day
Available on Amazon Prime Video
The Family Stone
Available on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Available on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Cool Runnings
Available on Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video
Trading Places
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Hot Tub Time Machine
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Available on Netflix
Maybe you like the thrill of something scary hidden in the snowy scene! Here are some good options:
Fargo
Available on Hulu, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video
Frozen
Available on Amazon Prime Video
The Snowman
Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
The Shining
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Everest
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Crimson Peak
Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Misery
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Feeling dramatic? Nothing can add to a little over the top feel quite like the chilliness brought on by winter. Here are some good options:
Winter’s Bone
Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube TV
The Revenant
Available on Amazon Prime Video and Cinemax
Snow White & The Huntsman
Available on Amazon Prime Video
I, Tonya
Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video
Wind River
Available on Amazon Prime Video
The Best Man Holiday
Available on Amazon Prime Video
Did someone say family time? Here are some movies that are kid-friendly but everyone can secretly enjoy:
Ice Age
Available on Hulu, Starz, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Happy Feet
Available on Vudu
Frozen 1 & 2
Available on Hulu, Disney+, Starz, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV
Miracle
Available on Netflix and Disney+
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Available on Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video
Our downstairs living room at The Chateau! In my opinion, it’s perfect for movie nights
Movie nights are awesome don’t get me wrong but maybe you want to spend your night like my family does! We’re huge fans of picking a game to play and spending the rest of the evening half playing the game and half yelling at each other. I’ll list some of our favorites and how to play below:
Charades!
How could you go wrong with such a classically fun game that can also be done so many different ways? It’s played by everyone picking a theme (family, sick & twisted, traditional, etc.) and then separating the players into 2 teams. Everyone writes down something in line with that theme and proceeds to write it down on a piece of paper which gets put in a hat or a bowl with everyone else’s ideas and gets shaken up.
Everyone then gets a turn and when it’s their turn they draw a paper from the pile and without saying anything they have 45 seconds to act out what they have. As their teammates guess correctly, they keep pulling papers until their time is up. At the end of the game, whichever team as the most right answers wins!
Truth or Dare
Always a classic! Everyone sits in one room together and whoever begins asks someone else “Truth or Dare” and the other person has to pick one. If they pick “Truth” then the person asking gets to ask them any question they want and the other person has to answer truthfully. If they pick “Dare” then whatever they get dared to do they have to do. This one can be just a fun getting to know everyone better game!
Never Have I Ever
A popular one among my friends for sure! Everyone in the circle holds up 5 or 10 figures. Whoever starts says something along the lines of what they’ve never done. For example; they’ve never had surgery. They’ll say “Never Have I Ever…. Had Surgery” and everyone who has will put a finger down. Whoever puts all their fingers down first loses!
Stickers
This is a game that can be played throughout the day or night. Everyone in the group is given a packet of stickers to carry around with them and as the day/night goes on they try to stick the stickers to as many people as possible without them noticing. Whoever has the most stickers by your designated end time loses!
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what you choose to do as long as you enjoy the people that you’re doing it with. Part of the joy of staying at one of our homes is that you get to appreciate a more natural family time because there are common spaces for everyone to be together in.
These are our favorite people to argue over movies and play games with!