Together we can beat the winter blues

The days are getting longer, the sun is shining (as of Wednesday afternoon) and February is just around the corner.

We've had quite the winter thus far but perhaps the worst is over...However, just in case, I offer you my surefire solutions to beating the winter blues.

One of the greatest things about the long winter season is that it encompasses so many great athletic events. And what better way to enjoy the best games of the year than in the comfort of your warm home?

For it is only in the winter that we get college bowl games, the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, college basketball and this year, the Winter Olympic Games.

But if curling up on the couch watching these athletic endeavors is a bit too passive for you, then try my top five winter activities:

Broom ball

A favorite youth group activity when I was in high school, broom ball is a more redneck version of hockey.

Grab a big group of friends and locate a small frozen pond or a big patch of ice. With last week's ice storm, even the front yard at Gehlen looked like it could contend for a mini skating rink.

Once everyone is bundled up, lace up your boots or sneakers and grab a broom and a big rubber ball. The game plays like hockey, but with brooms instead of sticks and a ball instead of a puck (an easier target, I always thought). Have fun sliding around in your boots and knocking your friends down in the frenzy of competition.

Snow angels

You are never too old to make a snow angel. When I was a sophomore in college, a few of my girlfriends and I snuck onto the football field after a big snowstorm in December left us with over a foot of snow during finals week.

So we blew off studying to go make snow angels. We found the perfect spot as the football field was covered with untouched snow. We made angels, wrote our names and enjoyed some friendly push-and-shove as we tossed each other into the white fluffy stuff. Snow angels, of course, work best when the snow is light and fluffy - and less than four feet deep!

Sledding or tubing

An obvious choice for fun in the snow, sledding can be a great workout, depending on the size of the hill.

Trudging up a hill in snow pants and boots seems like a lot of work for a five-second trip back down, but think of all those calories you'll burn!

Just remember to stick to the hills or large snow piles and avoid trying anything stupid, like taking a snowboard over a retaining wall. My sister found out the hard way why that was a bad idea - when she was six, she broke her leg and was in a cast for three months.

But if sledding isn't for you, consider tubing.

Most skiing and snowboarding "mountains" in the area also have tubing hills. Bring a bunch of friends and link together as you ride down the big hill in an inner tube. Or find someone to pull you behind their 4-wheeler.

Either way, it puts a whole spin on the summer version.

Mall walking

One of my favorite activities, regardless of the season, is shopping.

But for those (like myself) who lack the disposable income necessary for shopping endeavors, you can still head to the mall this winter. An activity many in the cities turn to in the winter months is mall walking.

When my grandparents lived in Milwaukee, they would visit the mall not to shop or have lunch, but to complete their daily workout routine.

If you'd rather not pay for a gym membership to simply walk laps indoors during the winter months, head to the mall and get your laps in there. Plus, you can window shop and observe the wide variety of people spending their afternoons in the mall.

Or you can play a game Jesse and I have played at the mall: Count how many Plymouth County athletes you can identify outside of their respective gymnasiums.

Snowball fights

Winter would not be complete without at least one snowball fight. When the snow gets to that perfect stage of "melty" where it packs into the ideal ball, get your friends together and just like bags at Southwest Airlines - it's on.

If throwing balls of snow is not for you, grab a football and recreate the 1967 NFL Championship, better known as the Ice Bowl. Football in the snow is even more fun than regular football, so I'm guessing playing dodge ball with snowballs would be great too.

So there you have it - my top five winter activities. After reading, if you've changed your mind about venturing into the cold abyss, then I suggest an indoor marathon of sorts - read the entire Twilight series or watch the extended version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, all six episodes of Star Wars or all 10 seasons of Friends.

Whatever activities you choose this winter, bundle up, stay warm and remember, spring is just 51 days away.