As a nation,
more and more of us seem to be getting into Hygge. As such, it always helps to
have a little guidance. As it is November and we are all gearing up for
Christmas (and all the stress that comes with it) here are some tips on how to
put a little Hygge into the festive season.
Fairy lights
and candles. As many of you know, a big part of Hygge is to do with atmosphere
and lighting. Fairy lights and Christmas candles are perfect. If you want to
try something a little different than stringing the lights through your home
(or you have a cat) try putting them in mason jars for a beautiful effect. As
for candles, put some tea lights into glass jars. If you have a hearth, put a
couple of church candles either side. Also, as we are not Danes, break out the
scented candles, there are Christmas themed ones which make your home smell
like many festive things, including fresh cookies.
Cosy socks. Many
people in this country define Hygge as cosiness, so dig out your thick comfy
socks. I love my thick cosy socks. If you don’t have any, go invest in some.
Splash out on cashmere, find fluffy slippers, wrap those feet in a bit of
cosiness.
Electronics.
Turn them off, an hour won’t hurt. Whilst we love to settle down and watch a
Christmas film or TV (you missed the Doctor Who Christmas special in our house
and you were shamed) it shouldn’t be what you do all day. Switch of your TV,
laptop, pc, tablets and phones. Hygge is about togetherness. One of the emphasises
of Hygge is spending time with your family. Play a board game or cards. Easier
these days now we have the beauty of catch-up. ‘We’ time, rather than ‘me’
time.
Outside. Put
on your woollies and go for a family walk. Winter walks were one of my
favourite past times as a child. And of course, this opens the door to three
more great ways to Hygge up your holiday.
Drinks. We,
the English, are a nation of tea drinkers it’s true. Americans seem to favour coffee;
we all like our warm beverages. So let’s break out our big, oversized, hardly ever
used cups and fill them with hot chocolate. The perfect drink to warm you up
after a winter walk. Now we can top this with many things; whipped cream, chocolate
shavings, mini marshmallows, edible glitter. There was a place I used to
frequent which served great hot chocolate and if you asked for it with
everything, they put a flake in it. A flake! A Cadbury’s milk chocolate flake. I’m
going to do that this year. Also, for
the adults who like something stronger, add a little rum or whiskey.
Fire.
Another way to warm up is to light a fire. That was what I love about staying
at my Grandmother’s in cold weather, she has a real fireplace. We sent our
letters to Santa the old fashioned way thanks to that. Many of us don’t have
this these days, so put together your fairy lights in jars or, and this is a
real thing, pop on a log fire DVD. Apparently this is very effective and people find
it soothing. Of course it won’t keep you warm, but I believe that is what
central heating, blankets and hot chocolate are for.
Books. As spending time with the family is a
big part of Hygge, snuggle up on the couch with your little ones and read ‘Stick
Man’, or ‘The Night Before Christmas’ anything you can read aloud and enjoy together.
A good way to all relax and calm yourselves down at the end of a day or after a
walk. A way to feel warm and hyggelig.
Friends.
Hygge is about togetherness so invite your friends and family over for some
mulled wine and mince pies. Unless you invite me, I’ll go for mulled wine and
company. Not a mince pie fan. If you’re not into mulled wine or don’t feel up to
heating a pan of it, get some sherry. Just as Christmassy. To keep it cosy, enforce
a dress code, it’s Christmas jumper time!
Cooking. The
food is always an important and stressful part of Christmas. So, if you haven’t
got one already, invest in a slow cooker. Before and after the day, permeate
your home with the smell of a casserole, or stew, or poached pears. With all
the ingredients thrown in and left to cook, not only is it less stressful, it
gives you more time to spend with your loved ones.
There you
have it, a Hygge Christmas. Now of course you should try for a bit of hygge all
the time and some of these tips aren’t exclusive to Christmas, but they can add
a little magic to what, for us old ones at least, can be a stressful and tiring
time. So slip on the cosy socks, cuddle up with the family in front of a fire,
sip that hot chocolate, relax and have a Hyggelig Christmas!
