Hygge Holiday Rituals
Americans have officially glorified busyness, and along with that is the myth that the holiday season must come with stress and pressure. But what if the antidote to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season could be found in a little Scandinavian word? What if by cuddling up with a fluffy blanket and pouring a cup of cocoa, we can embrace something called hygge (pronounced HOO-gah)?
As a result of our fast food-style culture, mindfulness is critical to our health to keep us balanced. Hygge is about creating atmospheres with little mindfulness moments all through the day. It’s about finding the little “fluff you day” joys here and there where you can create some coziness.
“For me, hygge means having the awareness to slow down and appreciate the simple — and arguably the most important — things in life.”
Hygge is not a food, a decoration, or a thing at all – it is a “feeling” or experience of a warm and inviting atmosphere and/or the gathering of family and friends. It has been described as intimacy, coziness, contentment, well-being, hominess, warmth, good cheer, peace of mind, friendliness, togetherness, and a sense of belonging.
Hygge is described by one author as “cocoa by candlelight” (Wiking, 2017, p. vi). Imagine sitting by a crackling fire on a cold winter’s night in your jam-jams while the snow piles up outside, or spending time with family or friends drinking hot cocoa and eating sugar cookies, or curling up with a good book/web surfing on your iPad, and a furry blanket next to the glow of the holiday twinkle lights. Calm. Peace. Hygge.
Top 3 ways I curate hygge during the holidays
1. Create the cozy.
Create areas in your home that can be used as places for you and your holiday guests to cozy-up. Blankies, fuzzy socks or slippers, soft leisure-wear, warm hats, comfy pillows, twinkle lights, and something warm to drink. Being surrounded by all of my favorite things is aesthetically peaceful. Fragrance can also help to provide a sense of calm. Consider infusing winter scents into your home over the holiday season such as cypress, cinnamon, or holiday joy. My go-to in almost every room is an essential oil diffuser and candles.
2. Bake with love.
The holidays are about spending time with those you love and spreading joy. There’s no better way to do that than with homemade baking. The act of baking itself gives me a hygge feeling—expressing my creativity and doing something special for loved ones—that just does it for me. I create a hot chocolate bar and invite guests to belly right up and create their own cup of goodness. And, I’m officially smitten with baker-style Nutcrackers because it brings back amazing memories of attending the Nutcracker with my Mom.
3. Play the music.
Music is involved with pretty much everything I do throughout the day. When I’m holiday hygge-ing it’s Christmas music. Christmas music is associated with joy and festiveness because of the memories that come with it. For many people the holidays mean spending time with loved ones or appreciating what they are thankful for, these songs can stir a sense of nostalgia and happiness.
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Here’s a few of my favorite things I’ll be using this year to create a hygge holiday at the Best Treehouse.
How do you create cozy experiences? We would love to hear how you hygge! Happy Holidays!