It is that time of the year… when everyone you know has caught some type of bug, especially during the holiday season with holiday parties and get togethers. There isn’t any chance of avoiding the dreaded seasonal bug. But no worries! Preppers are always one step ahead and ready for whatever comes their way. I start by checking my a mountain of supplies to see about expiration dates and what needs restocking. I keep my winter First Aid Essential shelf organized and labeled so what I need can be found with ease.
Here’s everything that makes a well-prepared Winter First Aid Essentials:
✔ Cough Drops (the good honey-lemon ones)
Not the weird chalky ones. Those I reserve for emergencies of the “someone else needs them” variety.
✔ Cold & Flu Medicine (day + night)
I rotate these every season so nothing gets wasted.
✔ Tummy Medicine
Because winter stomach bugs strike fast, and peppermint tea can only do so much. I keep:
Anti-nausea tablets
Electrolyte packets
Gentle stomach-settling tea blends
A ginger syrup or ginger drops
✔ A Working Thermometer
If the current one has “gone missing” again (it always has), I pull a fresh one from my stash.
✔ Lip Balm
I keep a stack of these since my brothers, and my dad as well, are forever asking me for one or more during the winter.
✔ Hand Lotion
Winter cracks appear faster than Mo can steal a sock.
✔ A Small Heating Pad
Plus a backup microwavable one. (One for me, one for Ian, one Mo tries to lie on.)
✔ Several Boxes of Tissues
One for every room, which is why I buy these in bulk. I never run out of them.
✔ Herbal Tea Blends
Sore throat tea, stomach tea, calming tea, and “oh no, a cold is starting” tea.
✔ Honey Sticks & Broth Concentrates
Because comfort counts as medicine too.
Winter First Aid Totes
Think of a compact version of Winter First Aid Essential in a tote because someone (namely my brothers and dad, Amy too, ) inevitably stops by my cabin complaining the pharmacy is out of flu stuff and they are in desperate need.
Most Important
Replenish the items you use. Winter illnesses can hit hard and before you know it you’re out of essentials, though not if you stay stocked. Believe me you’ll be relieved when you find yourself snowbound or the pharmacy closed and someone suddenly takes sick and you have no medicine to help them.
Pepper’s Comfort Basket (Because we all need one when we’re sick.)
Fluffy socks
Cozy blankets
Heat packs
Soft tissues
A book or two
Scented hand lotion
A tiny jar of peppermint salve
Pull it out when you feel something coming on and you’ll start feeling better already. Because sometimes the difference between misery and comfort is the warmth of a little care. Ian loves this basket. I make one for my mom and dad and dare I neglect my brothers. Mostly it’s to stop them from snatching the ones I made for Ian and me.
Why I Do It Every Year (Prepping Is Peace)
I refresh my winter first aid essentials because I’ve learned something. Preparedness isn’t about fear…
It’s about comfort.
It’s about caring.
It’s about making winter gentler.
It means…
No midnight pharmacy runs
No scrambling for a thermometer
No discovering the only cough drops left are the ones nobody wants
No stomach trouble without support
No worrying whether I can help someone else
No chaos when cold season inevitably sweeps through town
Being ready lets me enjoy winter — the tea, the lights, the baking, the quiet evenings — without the stress.
And honestly? It feels good to help others be ready too.
So, my December advice:
Inventory everything.
Refresh from your stash.
Make a list.
Restock before winter steals your peace.
Trust me — you’ll thank me later.
Until next time… stay prepped & prepared!
Pepper
