Camp@Home, January 26

Camping fever, anyone? It always seems to heat up the true camp-o-holic's blood right about this time of year. So no surprise, perhaps, that Saturday, January 26, has been declared Camp@Home Day.

Some will be so lucky as to take this literally. They will have ready access to their roll-estate, and won't risk hypothermia by spending the night camping in it.

But if your luck doesn't run this far toward paradise, you don't have to skip the particiption-party. (Your trailer is in storage; you haven't even found your dream trailer yet; it's way too frigid to be outside for long; you haven't met any camping friends yet; you know what we mean.)

A few thoughts:

* Make fire. In an outdoor firepit, an indoor fireplace, or just a single candle on a table.

* Instead of sleeping in your usual room, 'make camp' in a different spot, and comfy-it-up to your heart's content. Guest rooms can be perfect for this, but what about a friend's-house sleepover, a night in a hotel, or even a sleeping bag on the TV room sofa?  Point being: Change your space, which is what you do when camping, and why it feels so refreshing.

* If you've collected any trailer toys, have some fun with them in your camping@home space.

* Experiment with some recipes you've been meaning to try. Make a favorite camp meal, and eat it by your fire.

Even if you only get 5 minutes to turn your brain to 'Camping!', you will feel the better for it. So get ready and get set to camp@home January 26 (or--in the world of Girl Camping--ANY time you can!)