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Best products to make it feel like winter while staying inside

From diffusers and weighted blankets to projectors and other home goods, here’s how to enjoy winter from the comfort and safety of your home.
A couple with hot drinks in living room at the fireplace.
Even though we may not being going outside as frequently (and not just because of the cold), wintertime still holds some magic moments. To help harness some of it, here are some products that might help make it feel more like the holidays indoors.Westend61 / Getty Images file
By Shari Uyehara

Winter is coming and with it holiday office parties, delicious pies in their many forms, family gatherings and outings to explore neighborhood lights and decorations… or so we hoped. Yes, the temperatures will drop and the days will end faster, but like other events in 2020 — including Halloween and sales like Amazon Prime Day and even Black Friday and Cyber Monday — winter moments are sure to look different than in years past. But fret not, you can still enjoy the feeling of the holiday season and all the good that winter brings from the comfort of your own home. To help you get creative so as to not miss out on the season, we’ve compiled the best products to bring winter inside this year, from holiday dishware and tech to toys, weighted blankets and more. And if you're on the hunt for ways to bring the cheer of winter and the holidays to someone else this year, we can help with the gifting end of that: Check out our holiday gift guides.

Best products to bring winter indoors

1. NEST New York Holiday Reed Diffuser

Bring in the smells of winter with a diffuser like this holiday-scented reed diffuser by NEST New York, which features notes of pomegranate, pine and cinnamon and slowly releases fragrance oils into the air for about 90 days. It comes in a festive bottle and features an elegant and decorative design. You can grab the same diffuser in candle form or get both with the holiday set.

2. Nespresso VertuoPlus

Instead of going out for a holiday-themed coffee, consider creating one at home with the Nespresso VertuoPlus, which our editor considers his favorite coffee and espresso machine. The single-serve coffee maker, designed in partnership with DeLonghi, is compact and works in less than half a minute. It’s easy to use and allows you to make drinks in four sizes, based on the capsule you choose. You can find festive flavors and giftable advent calendar options for the Nespresso, too.

3. Kasa Smart Plug

If you want to decorate with lights or a tree (and lights on the tree), using smart tech can simplify the work. A smart plug manages lights and other devices — Shopping visitors favor this Kasa option that was included in our history of Amazon Prime Day for being France’s bestseller in 2018, and is a regular in our tech sales articles. After adding the plug to an outlet, you can connect your lights or other devices, turning them on or off via voice commands or an app, as well as setting timers and more. And if you could use a smart plug for outside of your home, Kasa offers an outdoor option.

4. De'Longhi Mica Thermic Panel Heater

If you’re looking for something to combat the colder weather, check out this De’Longhi heater which we consider the best panel space heater. Although it’s compact and lightweight and packs a lot of power with 1,500 watts of heat. “This space heater can easily mount on any wall, providing an adjustable thermostat with multiple heating control options that allows you to adjust to the suitable heat,” Glenn Wiseman, sales manager of Top Hat Home Comfort Services previously told NBC News Shopping.

5. Rocabi Luxury Adult Weighted Blanket

Another way to stay warm and relaxed is burrowing beneath a weighted blanket. One NBC BETTER writer enjoys this option by Rocabi, which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can find it in two sizes, four weighted options ranging from 15 pounds to 30 pounds and multiple fabrics and colors, including Cotton Grey and Cotton White. There are lots of highly-regard weighted blankets out there, of course: Check out other options by popular brands like Bearaby and Casper.

6. Ugg Scuffette II Slippers

I received these slippers as a gift last year and have been wearing them around the house ever since. They offer a relaxed design and feature the Ugg logo. They’re made of suede and sheepskin for warmth and comfort. Additionally, they include polyester binding, as well as a rubber outsole so you can wear them outside. If you prefer wearing socks but still want the feeling of slippers, consider this sock shoe hybrid.

7. VANKYO LEISURE 3 Mini Projector

To display wintery scenery in your home, consider this highly-rated Vankyo home theater projector. It can display content on screens as wide as 170 inches, features LED lighting for higher quality images and can connect to phones or gaming consoles. It also includes a carrying bag, as well as a fan suppression system for less background noise when the device is working. And if you’re looking for an upgrade, consider the Optoma True 4K Smart Projector.

More ideas to prepare for the holidays

While you check out the above products, we’ve compiled some other ideas on everything from wines and spirits to books, dishware and more to help make it feel like the holidays in your space this winter.

Festive wines and spirits for winter

Between wines and spirits getting delivered to your door, there are plenty of winter-first options to bring into your home right now. Here are some examples:

Books for winter

You can find lots of holiday-oriented books, cookbooks and more across retailers right now. Here are a few examples:

Kitchen items for winter

Festive toys for winter

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Shari Uyehara

Shari Uyehara is the manager of editorial operations of Select on NBC News.