Let’s face it, this time of year swimming pools aren’t exactly top of mind for most people. If you’re not one of the lucky few with a heated pool – or the even more rare indoor pool owner – your swimming pool has likely been winterized and covered for the off season.
It’s a bummer, I know. And there’s not much more you can do about it besides stare out the window with a hot beverage and remember the good times from last summer/look forward to next summer’s festivities. But don’t abandon ALL hope. There’s a few ways to get a pool fix in the winter months.
Host A Winter Pool Party
If you Google “winter” and “pool” the search will mostly return links to various Winter Pool Party-related topics. A lot of these are geared toward kids (and are a great idea if one of your kiddos loves to swim but has a winter birthday), but there are some good ideas for adults too.
Unfortunately, within these articles there is no top-secret hack to get your pool water to 80˚ in December. Usually it is recommended to rent out a pool at a local gym, hotel, or community center for a few hours.
Once you’ve booked your venue, bring in some summery decorations, order a few pizzas or whip up some fingers foods, and you’re ready to go. Play some of your favorite summer pool games, have a leisurely float, or knock out a few laps. Enjoy that little taste of summer in the dead of winter. Hopefully your winter pool party will hold you over until warmer weather returns.
Or A Different Kind of Winter Pool Party
If you live in warmer climates – areas where the pool water is too cold to swim, but it’s not too cold to hang outdoors – you could host a different kind of winter pool party. The space around your swimming pool is already a place where people gather in the summertime, why not throw a party around the pool in the winter too.
Decorate your pool area with holiday decorations or make fix up your pool patio as a winter wonderland. Hang some Christmas lights or put out some holiday decorations. Paper snowflakes or inflatable penguins and polar bears would make for a nice touch. Serve hot cocoa or other wintertime favorites. If you live in an area that does get a little chilly, maybe rent a couple of space heaters. It would be just like your summer time pool parties, but with a winter time twist.
Take the Plunge
If you want to get crazy with your winter time pool party, incorporate a polar plunge into the festivities. Many of you have seen videos of these: people taking a quick dip in an iced-over pond. If you’re pool is still open, you could have your own polar plunge. Make sure to have towels ready to go and have a plan to warm up quick. This activity isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s sure to be something your guests will be talking about for years to come. And, believe it or not, there are some health benefits to taking a polar plunge. Much like a cold shower, it can increase your energy levels and stimulate blow flow.
If you do have a heated pool or indoor pool, a winter pool party is still a great idea. When I was a kid, an uncle of mine had a heated swimming pool. For a few years our family would ring in the new year at his house. All of us kids delighted in the opportunity to go swimming while temperatures outside were nearly freezing.
So there are a few options for getting a swimming pool fix during the winter. As you might expect, a winter pool party or a polar plunge are pretty much the extent of your options. If you do have a pool that you can use year around, well, continue using it as you normally would. And for those considering a pool installation, winter time is a great time to get started if you want to be using your pool by summer time.
As a reminder
If you’re cool with closing your pool for the winter (which a lot of you are), there are some maintenance tasks you’ll need to complete. Of course, you’ll want to keep it clean. A swimming pool cover can really help with that. You’ll also need to adjust the chemicals in your pool. And there are some things you’ll need to do for the pump and other support equipment. If you need some help with these tasks, check out our article about winterization tips.
I hope this helps keep your swimming pool hopes up in the off season. And if you have any ideas of your own for how to get a little extra use out of your pool in the off season, please leave them in the comments.
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