Hygge Christmas | Contentment and Simple Joys
Happy Monday my friends! If you missed it over the weekend, I launched my Cozy Christmas Home Tour with 8 fabulously talented bloggers. This year I wanted my Christmas decor to be welcoming, simple, and most of all, cozy. Enter: Hygge.
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What Is Hygge?
If you are like me, you may have been hearing the term Hygge tossed around the last several months without understanding its meaning. I had a general idea but didn’t fully understand the concept. Then, I realized that it is the exact lifestyle mentality I’ve been going for this Christmas! Since I had my little epiphany, I thought that I would share it with you for an out-of-the-box Monday Musings of Grace. 🙂
Hygge is a Danish term that is difficult to translate to English. Basically, it is a feeling of cozy contentment and joy over the simple things in life. Coziness plays a large part in this philosophy. When you think about it, hygge is basically the opposite of our American mentality.
Americans want to be on the go constantly, are always looking for the next best thing, and strive daily to “keep up with the Joneses.” Hygge, on the other hand, embraces a thorough enjoyment of ordinary events and items. A soft blanket while reading a simple book by the fire. A hot cup of coffee or cocoa on a snowy afternoon. Comfortable clothes. (And all the women said: AMEN! to sweatpants and baggy sweaters!)
A Hygge Christmas
So why am I telling you this? Christmas time is such a joyous occasion for many, but not for all. It can also be stressful, full of anxiety, and a burden. My challenge today is to suggest that we all sllooowwww down and enjoy the simple pleasures. Take time to curl up for an afternoon nap in a bed of cozy linen with your hubby. Read a magazine in a homemade nest on the floor. Bake some cookies with your kids and don’t worry about the mess it will inevitably make.
My Hygge Elements
As I decorated for Christmas this year I was very intentional about incorporating Hygge elements. (Even though I didn’t know I was doing it at the time!) I mentioned in my Christmas home tour that I would explain a bit more about how I did this in my own home, so here we go!
Pillows & Blankets Galore
If there is one thing in my home that I can’t get enough of, it is pillows and blankets. Is there anything better than snuggling under a soft blanket with 4.3 pillows strategically tucked in all of the places you need support? 😉 {#GettingOLD}
Lots of Texture
Be conscious of the textures around you. Cotton throws with accent fringe, nubby wool, soft knits, smooth velvet, cozy layered rugs, fresh linen. All of these are central to my home decor and offer that cozy element that Hygge requires.
Candles….Mountains of Candles
Another element that creates a contented environment is candles. The warm glow of a flickering candle (or 12) is so cozy. And if it puts off a pleasant aroma then that is just icing on the cake.
Warm Natural Tones
Ironically, the Scandinavian interior design style most associated with Hygge is often very crisp, white, and simplistic. It doesn’t scream COZY to me personally. Since I am not a simplistic decorator, I’ve decided to embrace my love of layers and warm tones and make that a part of my Hygge lifestyle.
I love incorporating warm wood tones and natural elements into my home. This can easily be done with items such as a simple wood tray and a Hyacinth basket to corral all those candles and blankets you’re accumulating.
Food & Drink
If you know me, then you know that there are few worldly things I get more pleasure from than food. Especially around the holidays! This can be a slippery slope when there is an abundance of decadent goodies so I feel the need to tread lightly here. My strategy is to slow down with food as well. I want to take the time to enjoy what I’m eating rather than scarf down as much as possible before I have to head to do another round of dishes. Right mommas?
Give yourself permission to be a part of the celebration rather than the organizer of it!
And there you have it. My Hygge Christmas. Which, by the way, my autocorrect keeps trying to change to Higgle Christmas. Thank you technology. Thank you.
A quick side note: there is nothing spiritual about my love of Hygge. It is not a lifestyle switch that I’m making; rather, it is an intentional awareness of contentment in simple pleasures. It is healthy to be thankful and content with simple joys, don’t you think? 🙂
Do you have any strategies for savoring the simple things during such a busy season? Leave me a comment below because I am certainly not a Hygge expert!
Have a great week my friends!
{Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom. – Benjamin Franklin}
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I am eagerly preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday. What have you prepared?
I choose comfy clothing as often as I can… And my house is cozy, too, I think, with lots of throws available. I like Higgle. : )
It is a great way to be! Comfy all the way. 😉