Christmas is past and though I plan to meet up with friends for New Year’s Eve, I just hate the idea of January.

Not that I have anything personal against the month. I just hate the idea of cold — you know, frozen fingers when you scrape your car windows, bundling up with tons of layers but still freezing anyway, or just coming home after work and it’s already dark.

I hate that.

But I love what we have in our January edition of Views and Voices magazine because I believe in fighting the cold weather with some warmth.

For example, we have warming soup recipes from Sharon resident Kris Scott and very cool winter fashions that will keep you warm in style.

We also have a heart-warming story about two women who have made the mature choice to be friends for the sake of a child in both of their lives, despite an ex-husband, remarriages and shared custody.

We sample a Butler-based restaurant known for the friendliness of its owners who know most of their visitors on a first-name basis, and we visit with the Anderson clan based in Fredonia as they “Have a Wednesday” in a kitchen filled with five generations.

You can enjoy the girlfriend getaway story written by our very own Herald news editor as she and a good friend enjoyed themselves during a trip to the Windy City — Chicago.

And don’t miss an easy knittin’ mitten pattern to keep those cold hands warm. All of these features and more will be in Views and Voices Wednesday.

OK, I guess I’m warming up to the idea of January.

Especially since it means spring can’t be too far behind!