Christmas is coming and don’t we know it! The temperature has dropped and the shops are filling with Christmas décor and festive food.
This article will give you all the information you need to survive the winter months in Chengdu!
What to wear
Layers! Although long-johns might be slightly excessive, a subtle black or white long sleeve t-shirt is a wardrobe necessity. Also, a pair of leggings under your jeans or trousers make a huge difference. You can buy these from Carrefour or Decathlon.
Another top tip; 80% of your body heat is lost from your head so a woolly hat will be a life saver. Also, it is important to keep your hands and feet warm so that the rest of your body feels warm too. Therefore, Decathlon is the place to buy thick socks and gloves designed to brave the elements.
Keeping your home warm & cosy
Buy a doggy draft guard… or just a normal draft guard. These can be placed on window sills and at the bottom of doors to reduce the cold air flow from outside. Another piece of advice; remember to close all the doors in your home to contain the heat in the room you are in.
If your home doesn’t have built-in air con then a plug-in heater can be bought at the electrical market near the South Railway Station or from any super market. A good heater will warm a room up within an hour and make the winter nights cosy!
Blankets and quilted hot water bottles are great gifts…
From: Me.
Love from: Me xxx
And finally, make your home extra festive by lighting a scented candle and relax!
Food and Drinks for nights in
Click here for the best food delivery services in Chengdu without leaving your sofa! Restaurants that deliver include; traditional Chinese, Western classics such as Mike’s Pizza, not to mention Cheesecake Love for pudding!
If you haven’t noticed already; hot water is much more popular to drink in China than in Western countries. According to research, not only will drinking a lot of hot water increase your body temperature over the winter, it also has several health benefits such as breaking down adipose tissue which leads to weight loss as well as unblocking nasal and throat congestion when you have a cold!
As well as hot water, stock up on hot chocolate, coffee and Chengdu’s famous Juhuacha tea. All of which you can buy from any supermarket.
Managing the pollution
The air quality gets increasingly worse in Chengdu over the winter. By using the ‘Air Matters: Global Air Quality & Pollen Data’ App you can get local and global readings of air quality. The App also gives advice such as whether to exercise outdoors and if using an air purifier is necessary.
Something else you should consider is wearing a mask. Firstly, disposable 3M N95 masks which cost around 108RMB for 10 from 7/ELEVEN or JD.com are perfect. Alternatively, the Vogmask comes in a range of fabrics and sizes at JD.com at around 198-290RMB and can be used for up to 200 hours.
Following this, it is a good idea to get an air purifier and an air-filtering plant to improve the air quality within your home.
When buying an air purifier, look out for a HEPA filter which eliminates >99% of particles (过滤灰尘/花粉 (0.3 微米), plus a strong fan speed which reflects in a high airflow/CADR. A great one to invest in is the Smart Air Purifier from XiaoMi which can be turned on by your phone before you get home from 800RMB each.
For more air pollution advice, click here.
I hope this helps you to stay warm and healthy this winter in Chengdu.
Have a Merry Christmas, from Chengdu-Expat.
