The coziest of words! The idea that the winter doesn’t need to be the frigid tundra of life. It’s that special buzz in the air around the winter holidays when yes, it’s cold, BUT some kitschy decorations, the smell of evergreen, and a crackling fire take your mind off it for the evening.
You can spruce up the home with candles, evergreens, sweets, and other decorations to distract yourself & the family from the shortening days and colder nights.
Instead of using all the holiday cheer as a distraction, hygge is more about acknowledging the colder days and darker nights and finding the peace in slowing down and staying at home.
There is also a mental switch that comes with being more hygge. The goal is to slow down and reflect at the end of the calendar year. Use this time to journal– either reflect on your past year or set goals for the coming; however you relax, reflect, and reminisce. Make the art of slowing down a recharging time for the mind & soul.
More importantly, how do you make a home that is hygge? Here are a few tricks to help:
- Get rid of the excess.
Nothing makes a home less ‘hygge’ than too many knick-knacks that don’t have meaning or value. This is gonna be a hard one but stay away from Home Goods, Target, TJ Maxx, etc especially during the holiday season!
2. Texture, Texture, Texture
I’ve gotten a lot of really great gifts over the years but I’d have to say one of the best presents I ever received was an extra plush Ugg blanket from my aunt for Christmas one year. Everyone fights over it on the couch when it comes to watching movies because it’s so cozy, luxurious, and warm. The best way to create a cozier and more hygge home is to have lots of blankets, pillows, and rugs that make you want to curl up and watch a movie or sip hot chocolate (read: wine) in the common room with friends.
3. Lighting
There is a TikTok trend going around that I absolutely LOVE and the premise is: ‘I’ll light every lamp, candle, accent light in the house but never, EVER, turn on the overhead. This rings so true with creating a more hygge space– keep the lighting soft. As almost every influencer, model, and photographer will tell you– lighting is everything!
Let us know what resonates the most with you in the comments!
