13 Ways to Embrace Hygge

When the Weather is Frightful, Hygge is Delightful

As the cold weather settles across the nation, the holiday season is close behind. There is no better time of year to adopt and practice hygge. Hygge? What? For those unfamiliar with the term, hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is a lifestyle that embraces simple pleasures like warmth, coziness, good food, enjoying family, friends, and home. First practiced and identified as a “thing” by our friends in Denmark. It’s no wonder Danes are among the world’s happiest humans on earth. 

For we who live in the higher latitudes, or as I like to call it, the arctic tundra, embracing hygge can make us happier as we move through the winter months of biting cold and limited daylight. Even those who have never heard of hygge probably practice it. Do you warm up with a cup of hot cocoa after you shovel snow from the walkway? That’s hygge. When you snuggle under a down comforter on a chilly winter morning, hygge again. Or if you enjoy dinner, a glass of wine and conversation with family and friends, you are practicing hygge.  

Good stuff, right? If you are intrigued and want more ways to incorporate hygge into your life, I have 13 great suggestions to inspire you.

1. Light a Candle

Burning fragrant scented candles will fill your home with a calming aroma. The warm, soft glow is relaxing and brings a cozy vibe to your living space.

2. Embrace the Season

Take in the beauty of winter. Pull on your boots, grab your mittens, and go for a walk in the new-fallen snow. The air has a crisp, clean scent that is energizing and invigorating.  

3. Hygge is Warmth

When you come in from your walk, warm up inside and out with a cup of hot chocolate or tea. Warm your hands on the hot mug as you inhale the fragrant steam.

 4. Hygge Décor

Pile some furry, wooly, or velvet pillows on the sofa along with a snuggly throw or two. Enjoy the visual and tactile sensations of the different textures.

5. Wrap Yourself Up

Grab one of those soft knitted throws, wrap yourself up, and snuggle into the warmth. Sip some hot spiced cider while you relax and watch the snowfall gently outside your window.

6. Light a Fire

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, light it. Appreciate the pure pleasure of warmth while outside the temperature is falling.

7. Read A Book 

Since you are already wrapped up in coziness, take some time and read a book while sipping your cup of chai latte. 

8. Watch a Movie

Settle in for a holiday family favorite flix with a massive bowl of buttered popcorn by your side. Is there a simpler pleasure on a cold winter night?

9. Bake Up Some Goodies

Dust off your favorite recipes for holiday treats and gift-giving. Make it a family project and enlist the help of the kids as you fill your home with the smell of homemade baked goods.

10. Hygge is Comfort Food

'Tis the season to pull out your crockpot and cook up a batch of chili, stew, or your favorite soup. I rarely prepare these foods in the summer, but as soon as there is a chill in the air, I throw together a pot of my favorite soup, Zuppa Toscana.

11. Group Hygge

Make your favorite winter supper dish, open a couple of bottles of wine, and invite your favorite people to your home for an evening of good food, drink, and company. 

12. Submerge Yourself in Hygee

Opt for a hot relaxing bath in the evening instead of the usual morning shower. Light a candle, pour the bath oils freely and soak the cares of the day away. Finish with your favorite body lotion.

13. Pamper Yourself

If, by chance, you get a snow day off work or on a lazy Sunday, hang out in your favorite robe and warm socks all day. Do whatever makes you happy and count all the ways embracing Hygge has improved your life.

That’s all I’ve got. And now, please excuse me. I’m off to practice what I preach. Getting into my favorite robe, lighting a pumpkin spice scented candle, pouring a glass of my favorite wine, and snuggling into my pink fleece-lined knitted throw to binge a few episodes of The Crown!