It’s getting cold outside!

I remember there were times when my parents would create a tent over one of the heating vents. After closing off all heat vents but one, they took a chair and placed it over the remaining vent. Then draped a large enough blanket that covered the chair and onto the floor. This little heat tent was quite good at trapping the heat. We would then put our feet in the tent to stay warm.

I don’t know if this is a common thing people did back in the day, or if this was another case of immigrant ingenuity that was unique to my parents. However it came about, it was effective in keeping us warm and was actually fun! It forced us to stay still and to just enjoy each other’s company. I was small enough to fit under the chair, where I tickled my family… until I got too hot!

Borrowed from traditional Korean houses

The idea is kind-of like the heating system of traditional Korean houses (hanok) where heat was spread through the home under the floors. This system of heating is called “ondol.” So, in effect the home was heated by the same fire used to cook meals. How’s that for efficiency?

The fire and smoke would heat stones underneath the floors of the home before getting funneled up and out the chimney. It was radiant heat before that became a thing!

And it’s recreated now with heating elements that go beneath flooring. And it’s common for people living in cold weather climates to have, especially in the bathroom and kitchens because they tend to be uncarpeted.

The good ole days?

As the days get colder and I hear the sound of our heater cranking out warm air, I can’t help but think about our little heat tent. It was a cost saving measure but it also brought us together as a family. We’d laugh and talk and share stories until bed time. But now we luxuriate in our technologies, and converse with people who are distant from us, ignoring those who are right in front of our face. (I’m really talking out of guilt here, if you couldn’t tell.)

I’m often reading my tablet, while my husband reads his phone, and my kid is watching tv while we all sit at the dinner table. That’s awful, I know!

And although it’s convenient to have all these… well, conveniences, I can’t but wonder if it wouldn’t be better to have to share that little heat tent again. Honestly, I don’t think my parents would’ve done it if they didn’t have to. But then again, I don’t think they’d be so plugged in during meal time either.

So in the end, going back to the heat tent days may be asking a bit much, but putting away our technologies at some points in the day in order to catch up with each other shouldn’t be. And that’s what was the real value, albeit unintended, of our little heat tent.

Did your family use wacky cost saving measures for heating too?

Are you as plugged in, yet tuned out, as we are at the dinner table? Share in the comments!