Recent years have found me making the most of winter by embracing the concept of hygge – a Danish word and idea that loosely translates into the embrace of coziness and warmth in the simple joys that matter, especially when that involves sharing joy with family and friends. In my mind, it’s that cozy feeling produced when you step out of a hot shower in winter and into a plush robe, then pull on a pair of your fluffiest socks before snuggling into a favored nook on a couch beside a loved one. That’s a ridiculously specific description of a feeling of coziness, but it works for me. You might find hygge in the simple lighting of a candle on these dark winter nights, and a vase of evergreen sprigs seeing us through a snowy spell. Suzie finds it in listening to the Danish String Quartet, and there’s something to that if you’ll give them a listen.
Hygge has found its way into a number of posts here, and is a wonderful way to wind our path along winter. You are invited to explore more of it in the links that follow, and to make your own customs and habits – whatever gets you through the darker seasons.
Breaking the morning in candlelight is kinder than clicking on any lamp or overhead light.
Partaking of hygge before I even heard of the word in the decades-long crocheting of this blanket. A different kind of blanket can be found in the falling of snow.
Setting a hygge scene can be as simple or as cheesy or as meaningful as you want it to be.
Conjuring moments of coziness and pockets of peaceful comfort, hygge can be crafted and celebrated in numerous ways.
Dancing in the hygge flames is one way of staying warm.
Much of hygge rightfully centers on family and friends, and this day with Dad will always be one of my favorite winter memories.
The heat of the kitchen makes for a few cozy moments to stave off winter cold and hunger, as do snow-covered winter weekends with visiting friends and family.
Through the bleak winter wilderness, there are ways of finding warmth and light.
Holiday sparkle is largely made of hygge.
Hunker down here and we’ll make our way through this winter together.
