While growing up, I remember my grandparents had a strange habit — they'd open their bedroom window a couple of inches in the dead of winter! Of course, they had an electric blanket. But, damn if the bedroom wasn't freezing cold. Lol. And I imagine trips to the bathroom were fun.
I figured out later that that habit was probably from living in house where the only heat was the kitchen stove. Probably a huge blanket and a stone at the bottom of the bed for heat.
One of my great grandmother’s stories was about the family getting caught in a blizzard on a horse drawn wagon in 1905 or so near Traverse City Mi.
She said her father broke a path out 100 yards or so through waist deep snow in front of one horse then back in front of the other. Then lead the horses up that 100 yards and do it all over again. She said it took all night to go the few miles to home but it was the only choice he had.