Cozy Comfort

I was going to write this post about the fact that January is Tea Month {yay!}, but I decided to go a slightly different route. It still involves tea {and other warm drinks}, but that isn't exactly the focus.

Have you heard of hygge? 

It's been a very "in thing" for the past few years. In the winter especially, I cannot scroll through Pinterest without seeing at least one link relating to the hygge lifestyle. Basically, this concept created by the Danes {and also practiced in Norway, although the Norwegians take credit for creating the concept. I have no stake in it, and I really don't mind giving credit to whomever--I'm just glad they came up with it} is all about celebrating coziness and togetherness. It isn't something you can buy {although you can buy some of the things you need to have a hygge lifestyle}. It's about spending time with people - meaningful time, not just being the same room and everyone being on their phones. It's about being cozy - blankets, twinkle lights, warm drinks, fuzzy socks. It's about celebrating the joining of the two, and it is super easy to do in the winter and the fall {though I have found some fun ways to incorporate hygge into the spring and summer seasons}. 

Personally, I love hygge. I also feel like I sort of lived this lifestyle before I knew what it was called. I am always cold, so socks and blankets and fluffy pillows have been important parts of my life forever. So keep in mind that everything that follows is based solely on my opinions, preferences, and personal experiences.

I'm going to help you live your best hygge life! Why do I feel it is important? Well, hygge has been connected to a lot of self-care practices. I think the idea of making yourself cozy and enjoying the company around you and just being in the moment is a great mental health strategy. Put away your phone, turn off your television and computer, and forget all about what's going on in the global world. Focus on what is going on in your immediate world. So, without further ado, here are my favorite hygge-approved things!

Hot Beverages

You all know that I love me some tea. And coffee. And I also love hot cocoa and hot apple cider and mulled wine. I'm starting easy here. Everybody has a mug {and if you seriously don't have one, you just let me know. I have really close to a lot of mugs}. Warm up your tea kettle, plug in that Keurig, pop open that microwave! Fill your mug with something delicious. And then follow these steps:  

1. Wrap your hands around the mug. Both hands. 

2. Scrunch in your shoulders for a moment and then release all that tension. 

3. Take a moment to let the steam warm your face {and open up your sinuses - an added bonus!}

4. Enjoy your drink.

5. Refill and repeat.

Cozy Accessories

I'm not entirely sure anyone can appreciate the ecstasy that fills my being when I think about cozy accessories. Let me rephrase slightly - cozy knitted accessories. Obviously, they don't have to be knitted {or crocheted}, but let me just tell you something right now:  handcrafted is always better. 

So! Make sure you have the following items to ensure a full hygge experience:  socks, sweaters, blankets, pillows. Done. I mean, probably done. Most people I know, living here in the Illinois "climate zone that refuses to follow any rules," own multiples of every single thing on that list. And if you're missing something, again, just let me know. I'll knit you some cozy socks real quick, and you'll be all set.

Soft Lighting

In my head, there are certain experiences that are 100% the definition of hygge. When I was a kid, we used to all cuddle together on the couches. We would turn off all the lights except for the Christmas tree, and we would sing Christmas carols. Can you imagine that feeling? That's what you're going for with your hygge lighting. Candles. Strands of Christmas lights. Lamps. A fireplace. Anything and everything that helps invoke the cozy spirit.

Yummy Treats

These do not have to be sweet. One of the most hygge meals, that appears in every single article I have ever read about hygge, is a bowl of soup with crusty bread. Basically, Panera knows what's up with hygge. Cookies, brownies, hearty breads, savory stews, rolls and pastries. You know, all the stuff that we feel guilty eating? It's called comfort food for a reason - because you feel good when you eat it. You can still eat healthy and eat hygge. Everything in moderation.

Quality Time

So the thing I neglected to mention in my introduction, which will make sense after reading all of my favorite hygge pieces, is that hygge kind of originated based on the fact that the Scandinavian lands are so far north. In the winter, they get lots of cold weather and not a lot of daylight. Many of the facets of hygge came from things those Scandinavians would do to keep warm and sane during their long winters. Some were necessary for survival {the food, the clothing, the drinks}, some were decided for them {the lighting, prior to electricity}, and some were likely for their sanity. People would get snowed in, and so when they were able to get together, even for a little while, they really cherished the time. They played games, told stories, sang songs. I think that in today's world, when we are totally connected 150% of the time, it can still be hygge to be doing these things on your own. Here is a list, again, of some of my favorite activities. Mind you, in order to be hygge, you HAVE to put your phone down. Put it on silent. Put it in the other room. Turn it off, even. 

~playing board games

~watching a movie together {I know, I said earlier that it involved turning off the tv, but can you think of anything more cozy than curling up with people and watching a good movie with a big bowl of buttery popcorn?}

~reading

~coloring

~knitting {or other low-stress crafting...Cricuting does not always apply here}

~cooking

~dining {and if dining in your home is not your thing, restaurants can work, too! Choose some place with a comfortable menu, cozy booths, and soft lighting} 

~walking outside {think about when you used to play outside in the snow as a kid, and then you came inside and warmed up with hot chocolate, and everyone had pink cheeks and mussed hair from their stocking caps and you just felt happy...}

~journaling/writing

The Hygge Mindset

All of these wonderful things, put together, make something truly magical. But I think, in all honesty, the most important thing to remember when trying to live a hygge lifestyle, is that the mindset matters. If you can't curl up on the couch with your blanket and your tea and your amazing book without thinking about the 752 things on your to-do list, then you aren't quite there. 

It's about being grateful. 

It's about living in the moment. 

It's about pushing all of the other stuff away and just being for a moment.

As we get into the doldrums of winter, I hope you will possibly add some hygge-lifestyle elements to your...lifestyle. Sorry for that weird sentence. A quick Pinterest search will lend you dozens of ideas. And if you enjoy this kind of thing, you might want to look into the Swedish fika custom and the Norwegian concept of koselig.