Have you heard of “Hygge” (pronounced “Hoo-gah”)? Hygge is a Norwegian word (meaning well-being or hug). But, the Danish people have adopted it and made it into a beautiful way of life. And, even though Denmark only gets about 5-7 hours of daylight a day during the winter months, they have been deemed the happiest people on earth. So, Hygge is worth looking into!
It’s a lifestyle that celebrates finding beauty in the simple things and nurturing yourself and others. Hygge is about giving your body, mind and spirit a rest. What could be more perfect in this day and age?
In a nutshell, here are the features of Hygge:
- Atmosphere – Creating it with candles, lamps and soft lighting.
- Presence or Mindfulness – Turning off electronics and really listening to the people in your life.
- Pleasure – Treating yourself with comfort food and hot drinks.
- Equality – Focusing on “we over me”, sharing tasks and kindness.
- Gratitude – Being thankful for what you have.
- Harmony – Letting go of competition, bragging and ego.
- Comfort – Filling your surroundings with blankets, sweaters and pillows.
- Truce – Dropping the drama and focusing on the positive.
- Togetherness – Making a point of gathering together (even just your family).
- Shelter – Embracing being safe in this moment, right now.
Here are some easy ways to get started:
- Throw a soup, stew or chili in the crockpot and let the smells fill your house.
- Take a drive to see the beautiful fall foliage.
- Set out a jigsaw puzzle and work on it in the evenings.
- Make yourself a cozy corner to read in. Stock up on thrift store novels that are set in autumn.
- Have a mani/pedi and paint your nails in yellows and oranges.
- Set up a bird feeder and spend time watching them enjoy it.
- Buy a new set of cozy pajamas. Change into them early every evening.
- Fill your house with throws, soft pillows and fuzzy socks.
- Try a new comforting tea in a fancy mug.
- Bring nature indoors with a plant, flowering bulbs or a bowl of pinecones.
- Light scented candles or use aromatic oils to scent the air.
- Bake something pumpkin so your house smells yummy.
- Be thankful for the little things. Start a gratitude journal. No entry is too silly.
- Pick apples and make applesauce.
- Bake muffins and drop them off for the neighbors.
- Turn off the news and unplug for a while!
- Play music that feeds your soul.
As you can see, Hygge is meant to fill all your senses with comfort and joy. Now is the perfect time to give it a try. What could be more perfect for this time we live in? The days are getting darker and we’re all tired of quarantining, the political clashes and the separation that exists in our world.
If you’d like to learn more, there are books and Facebook groups dedicated to Hygge. Or, do a Hygge search on Pinterest and Instagram to see some beautiful pictures of people living the Hygge lifestyle.
I’ll leave you with two simple ideas that I tried recently (suggested by my new Hygge friends).
Coffee Candles
Fill a small dish with coffee beans and place a votive candle in the center (vanilla, pumpkin spice or even unscented). Your house will smell wonderful!
Orange Candles
Cut an orange in half. Pull out the segments, leaving the center stem behind.
Fill the orange with vegetable oil (pouring it over the stem) and light the core. It took a few tries to get the stem lit, but it was worth it! The orange will stay lit for hours and fill your home with a lovely scent.*
* Of course, anchor your orange in a holder and be careful around children.
Read more of Ann’s contributions to allmomdoes here.
