Slippers designed by Amy Jo Gladstone Click photo for larger image.

So it was a bit late this year. Winter is finally here in all of its frigid glory, and we can hibernate guilt-free for the next few months. With the holidays behind us, there's no real reason to venture out anymore (unless you count work, school, the search for food and fuel and those strange human beings who think winter and sports go together). How to make the most of staying indoors? We've put together a winter survival guide with some of our favorite things!

Have cold feet? Amy Jo Gladstone makes these custom needlepoint dog slippers in assorted breeds. The perfect present for the perfect 10, they're colorful, cushy and wonderful for puttering around the house in style. Kathy Klingelhofer's great new store, Ohhbaby, has some in stock for $160 (or $190 for a crested version) and can have custom orders in a few weeks. Call 412-967-0800 or visit the shop at 1310 Freeport Road just past Fox Chapel Plaza.

Slip under a big, white goose-down comforter and snuggle the night or dreary day away. Nothing is warmer, more comfortable or longer-lasting. Feathers offers four styles of down comforters ranging from basic to luxurious, and all are available in ultra warm weights in twin, queen or king sizes. They range in price from $276 to $1,020 at both Feathers locations. Call 412-621-4700 for the Shadyside store on 5408 Walnut St. or 412-749-0725 for the new Sewickley store at 352 Beaver St.

What could be better on a cold day than a hot bowl of beef stew, veal ragout or a giant, homemade chicken pot pie? That's especially true if you don't have to make it yourself! Aspinwall Everyday Gourmet Catering and Prepared Foods will make whatever you want and even deliver it to your door if you don't want to stop by the shop at 212 First St. in Aspinwall, With two days' notice, it will prepare just the appetizers, just the entree or a complete menu for your dinner party -- as much or as little as you desire. Every day owners Danny Fankle and Monica Kunkel (above) also make a house entree, salads and sandwiches for a takeout lunch or dinner. Prices begin at $13 per person for special-order entrees. Call 412-782-2680.

Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Chef/Owner Danny Fankle and Owner Monica Kunkel make chili at the Everyday Gourmet in Aspinwall. Click photo for larger image.

We fell in love with Christmas Eve and Fresh Fallen Snow, two holiday scents from the Oakmont Candle Company, and then discovered a host of others for the whole year. Manufactured locally by owners Gene and Stacy Alese, the soy candles burn 30 to 40 percent longer (or an average of 120 hours) than wax candles and are toxin-, soot- and carcinogen-free. That also means the lovely scents are pure and powerful without being the least bit cloying. Try Tahitian Tea, Cosmopolitan Martini, French Vanilla, Warm Apple Pie, Woods or Spiced Cranberry (all $16) or the aromacology line with essential oils, including lemon ginseng and lavender ($18). They're available at Moxie, 412 Beaver St., Sewickley, which is having an Oakmont Candle trunk show Feb 12. Call 412-749-0920.

We've tried them all, from Creme de Mer to Age Repair, and the best winter protection we've found is Alexandra de Markoff 's Vital 10 New Age Skin Complex with Jasmine and Marigold. A repair concentrate that you use before moisturizer, it takes years of dull, dry skin off the surface with hyaluronic acid, brightening, softening and firming the complexion all at once. It's a miracle in a bottle, available for $72 at Schiller's Pharmacy and Cosmetique, 811 S. Aiken Ave., Shadyside, which is having its semiannual 20 percent off cosmetic and fragrance sale through this month. Call 412-621-5900.

Something to read that's entertaining, uplifting, that causes you to dream but not necessarily to think, or at least very hard. Cozy nights by the fire call for cozy books that you can pick up with ease. Try "Occasions" by Kate Spade, one in a trilogy (the others are "Style" and "Manners") by the design maven. Lavishly illustrated with charming drawings, Spade shares her tips on decorating, music, invitations, flowers, types of parties, gifts, drinks, menus and much more. Available for $20 at bookstores and online through Katespade.com.