I always go through the seeds I have left, not only to see things i don't have to order this year, but see if the seeds are still viable. Tomato seeds can last 4 - 10 years, lettuce about 3 years. So it's a good idea to go through your seeds and toss the ones that are too old. If you have a lot of them and want to see what the germination rate is there's a simple way to do that. Take a few paper towels and wet them down, ring them out so they're damp not soaking wet. Put 10 seeds on one side and fold the paper towel over them. Put them in a warm place, like on top of the fridge. Spray the paper towel with water every few days so it doesn't dry out. After 1 - 2 weeks check them to see how many sprouted. If 5 out of the 10 sprouted, you have 50% germination. If 1 sprouted, it's 10% and the seeds aren't worth keeping. Remember different seeds germinate at different rates, so don't be impatient, give them at least 2 weeks and sometimes (in the case of some peppers or parsley) even 3.
You should keep extra seeds (or seeds you've harvested from your own plants) in a covered container in the fridge, with a packet of silica gel. The silica gel keeps the seeds dry and the cold in the fridge keeps the seeds viable longer.
Another thing i like to do in the winter is have some blooming plants indoors. Helps me get through these dark, cold snowy months. The above photo shows my amaryllis called apple blossom. This amaryllis has bloomed for me every single year since i got it about 7 or 8 years ago, until last winter. Last winter it didn't bloom and i thought it was done. This year, just before i was going to start watering it again, it put up a flower stalk. I promptly starting watering it, and it started to bloom a couple of days ago! It has a light fragrance and is so nice to see in early January.
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