Why Winter Is the Perfect Time for Veterans to Explore New Hobbies
Article by Meredith S. K. Boas Creative Director of Delaware Fun-A-Day
Winter naturally invites a slower pace. Shorter days and quiet evenings create space for reflection—and for many veterans, this season can also bring emotional challenges such as loneliness, stress, or disrupted routines. But winter also offers an opportunity: a chance to use creativity as a powerful tool for healing, growth, and connection.
Sam Ford is a Delaware Fun-A-Day 2025 Participant who did art journaling as her project focus.
Art therapy is one of the most accessible ways to support mental and emotional health. Simple activities like sketching, painting, coloring, or working with clay can calm the nervous system and reduce stress. Veterans don’t need to be “artists” to experience the benefits. Creative expression allows thoughts and emotions to surface gradually and safely, offering a sense of control and relief during difficult moments.
Writing and photography are equally meaningful outlets. Journaling helps organize thoughts, ease anxiety, and clarify goals. Creative writing—poetry, stories, or memoir—gives veterans space to explore memories and perspectives in their own time and in their own words.
Photography, even with a simple phone camera, encourages mindfulness by shifting focus to small moments of beauty: winter light, family gatherings, or the texture of frost on a window. These captured images become reminders of presence and gratitude.
Winter is also an ideal season for gardening preparation. While the ground may be frozen, planning a spring garden provides purpose and structure. Veterans can start seeds indoors, design garden layouts, clean tools, or grow small indoor herbs. Nurturing something living—even a single potted plant—can bring comfort and routine during the coldest months.
Music and movement add another layer of healing. Listening to music, learning a new instrument, joining a chorus, or even incorporating gentle stretching or tai chi can improve mood and support physical well-being. Rhythm, sound, and motion help regulate stress and reconnect body and mind.
Across all these activities, the common theme is simple: creativity reduces stress, improves mental health, and strengthens identity beyond military service. It offers veterans a way to express themselves, find calm, and build personal meaning throughout the winter months.
As you explore creative hobbies this season, Veterans Outreach Ministries invites you to share your work with us. We welcome artwork, poems, photography, short stories, or reflections for upcoming magazine issues.
Your creativity may inspire another veteran—and your voice deserves to be heard.
Explore more articles from VOM Magazine here: https://www.veteransoutreachministries.org/vom-magazine/
