Hygge: 7 Tips for a Happy Life

I’ve been on a comfy cozy mission this winter. My mission has lead me to choose soft textures for clothing; snuggly athleisure wear, cozy sweaters, fuzzy socks and moccasins to wear around the house, as well as warm booties and leggings to wear out and about.

I’m an introverted home girl, so my quest has also lead me to my “nest” and learning more about Hygge, the Scandinavian practices that brings warmth and happiness into one’s life, home and community. I found I was already doing Hygge, perhaps it comes from my Scandinavian roots. This year, I’ve focused more on Hygge, and thought I’d share some of the practices I’ve incorporated into our lives this winter. Thinking cozy and warm has been a natural, as so far it’s been a bit cooler than usual here in Florida, (in fact, today couldn’t be a more perfect day to share—we had snow in northern Florida this morning and its cold and rainy here.) Which for me is a welcome change. Here’s how I am making my home a cozy soft place to land.

Cozy Hygge Pj’s

1.Creating a cozy spot to read and contemplate. I have added soft pillows and warm throws to our couch and chairs this season. We even added fuzzy covers to our pillows.
2.Candles, candles and more candles. We don’t have a fireplace in our current home—which I dearly miss, so I’ve made up for it with candles, which are a Hygge staple. How I love candles, both scented and unscented to brighten our rooms as darkness sets in.
3.Taking time out to read, watch an interesting series on television, play a board game or just hang out with loved ones. We are big “quality time” people here, and not really big on nightlife and going out, so there’s nothing we love more than spending time together talking in the evening or watching television—but not just any television—we love well produced movies and series and often spend time talking about the characters, writing, costuming and cinematography.
4.Comfort foods—while I am a very light eater and typically eat my main meal at noon, I do like to prepare comfort food favorites this time of year—a good bowl of chile, braised short ribs, home made Mac and cheese and lasagna from scratch are among my winter time favorites.

Hygee for the home:

5.Hygge calls for sweets or treats, my Finnish grandmother always had coffee cake, or cookies on hand for herself and guests. I’ve modified this a bit—I have a nip, as in an ounce of really good chocolate after meals. (Roger and Brooke eat cookies and other treats) but I’ve not been too much of a sweet eater in recent years, so we do have a few baked goods from the bakery and when Brooke is home, she will often bake gluten free cookies or brownies.
6.Enjoying hot drinks. I enjoyed my fill of hot chocolate over the Christmas holidays—I love to make it from scratch with milk and high quality chocolate melted in. Day to day, during the winter, I drink coffee (in the morning) and hot tea through the rest of the day. Nothing says cozy like a hot beverage sipped from a cute mug.
7. Enjoy and be present for friends and family. Good Hygge includes nurturing close relationships with family and friends. Sharing life and love with one another.

In spite of my introversion, quality time is important. It fills my heart with happiness and contentment, and that’s what Hygge is really all about.