As the autumn leaves turn to winter snow, the following cold weather tips are worth considering.

Dry skin, icy windshields, and other issues can be avoided with these winter essentials, so be sure to throw them in your shopping cart to prepare for the season.

HOT CHOCOLATE

What better way to warm yourself up after a cold day than with a cup of hot chocolate?  The rich, toasty drink is easy to stir up and will keep you warm from the inside out. Let this chocolatey beverage thaw your fingertips as it warms your stomach. While savoring each sip, start a fire, turn on a movie, and get cozy.

Bon Appétit has an easy and tasty hot chocolate recipe you will be sure to love.

FUZZY SOCKS

Picture this: walking to and from class as the cold wind seeps through your shoes and turns your toes into icicles – these are the moments when fuzzy socks can come to the rescue.

Don’t get caught with frosty toes again when you can bundle your feet with fuzzy wool socks before bracing the winter elements.

Visit LL Bean’s website to check out some of the toastiest socks for this cold season!

MOISTURIZER

Harsh, dry winds are unavoidable during the winter months, and tend to dry out your skin. Never fear, there are lots of ways to keep your skin protected from these unrelenting elements. Be sure to stock up on face lotion, hand lotion and tons of lip balm; your skin will thank you later.

Target has all of the moisturizing essentials you will need, such as Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer, Jergens Ultra Healing Moisturizer and Vaseline Lip Therapy.

WINTER COAT

Of all the cold weather essentials, a quality winter coat should always be at the top of the list. Don’t take any chances in the blistering cold this year; have a winter coat handy to keep you bundled up even on the coldest days.

Check out an array of the warmest coats for this upcoming winter season at the Burlington Coat Factory while also getting a great deal.

ICE SCRAPER

When the cold arrives, you can almost guarantee bad weather will not be far behind. Snow, sleet and even ice are all possible when temperatures start to drop. Don’t be caught off guard when heading to your car on those freezing winter mornings.

Keep an ice scraper handy to quickly clean up any weather that has built up on your car’s windshield before your commute. Your mornings will stay on schedule, even when the cold weather tries to slow you down.

Check online at Amazon to order yourself a nifty ice scraper before the bad weather arrives.