If you’ve read through (or even scrolled through) some of my blog posts you would know that winter is pretty much my least favourite part of the year. You would think that after living in Canada for my whole life that I would be used to the cold season but I seem to dread it more and more every single year.
This year, in an attempt to calm my misgivings about the upcoming season, I re-read The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well. The book breaks down the elements of Hygge that allow the Danes to flourish and live well even among the harshest of months. Just reading through the book made me the tiniest bit excited for winter because it all sounded so cozy and romantic.
So here I am. It’s snowing hard outside and due to the weather, it looks like my plans for the day are cancelled! What a treat. I thought this was as good a time as ever to revisit the elements of Hygge and bring some joy into these winter months — I don’t know about you, but it’s only February and I’m already fed up.
We all need a little bit of Hygge in our lives especially if we want to survive this winter. Here’s how I’m bringing it into my life.
01 | Reflect
I started bullet journaling a couple of years ago but lost my passion for it last year. In the lead-up to 2019, I found an unused Leuchtturm 1917 journal hiding in my desk and decided the new year would be a beautiful time to start up again. If bullet journaling isn’t your thing, try keeping a plain journal on your bedside table for evening musings or a tiny pocket journal in your bag for all of those insightful ideas I know will come to you on the bus. I even created a full-page spread on Hygge one afternoon while I was thinking up this blog post and it felt so nice to see everything written down instead of on a screen.
02 | Learn
Winter can feel like such a slump if you feel stuck in your house all the time and even I know that Netflix loses its appeal after a while. How wonderful would it be to emerge from the cold shadows of winter with a new skill or hobby? This isn’t sponsored, but I signed up for Skillshare’s two-month free trial a couple of weeks ago and I’ve already completed classes in lettering, business, illustration and the Adobe Creative Suite! It’s been fun to sit down with a sketchbook and follow along with a project instead of just watching a YouTube video. Try it out today!
03 | Light
In The Little Book of Hygge, the author, Meik Wiking, opens up on the chapter on light by saying “no recipe for hygge is complete without candles”. This is definitely a piece of advice that I can get behind. With shorter days and darker nights, light is a crucial way to create a cozy atmosphere in your home. My advice? Abandon the overhead lights (unless you have a dimmer switch) and turn on a few well-places lamps for soft glowing lighting to warm up your rooms. Don’t forget those candles!
04 | Home
I don’t know about you, but being social on a cold and windy night feels impossible. Instead of going out, I much prefer having friends over at my house for dinner or even an afternoon tea date. There’s something so wonderful about welcoming people into your home on a cold day and watching them settle in with a warm drink and a plate full of food. Take time to cultivate those loving relationships and make some memories from the comfort of your home.
05 | Decorate
We couldn’t go through a whole blog post on Hygge without talking about decorating! In my own home, Hygge means lush pillows on my couch, baskets full of blankets in every room, soft lighting and lots of texture. Pile those blankets, add a rug to the most-used areas (like your kitchen sink or under your desk) to keep your feet warm, and be generous with your candles. We’ve talked a lot about how Hygge works in the evenings but don’t forget your morning routine either — get out your massive mugs for tea and coffee and think about lighting a candle in your kitchen while you make breakfast.
That’s all from me today! Cozy up, we’ve still got a few months to go.
