My oldest daughter has been talking to me about the concept of Hygge for quite some time. If you aren’t a longtime study like her you may have recently been introduced to the term. It’s been a pretty mainstream concept for a little while but it seems to be making its way through the morning talk show circuit right now. I saw a feature on both GMA and Live with Kelly and Ryan just the other day.

Before we get into exactly what Hygge is, let me first say I did learn from the aforementioned morning shows that I had no idea how to say it correctly. It’s not Hi-je the sophisticated way my daughter pronounces it or Higgie the way that I pronounce it with a smile. It’s actually pronounced Hoo-Gah which makes me want to raise a glass of Guinness as I say it with a group.

The true pronunciation makes sense though. It’s a Danish term after all. Having lived in both Northern and Western Europe the real pronunciation actually evokes feelings of comfort, warmth (the cozy kind) and German Christmas markets. Ironically that’s pretty much what Hygge is-it’s a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality (warm-heartedness) or well-being.

So now that we’ve gotten the pronunciation and the definition down, how do we actually bring the concept home? I believe we may have a little experience with this already. Many of us over the last year and a half did start to make our homes cozier and embrace self-care as a way to evoke feelings of contentment or well-being. I read an article where a person sitting around a roaring fireplace with friends, drinking coco asked, “Could this be any more perfect as a picture of Hygge?” And another person replied, “yes, if there was a storm raging outside.” That reminds me of exactly what many of us were trying so desperately to do. While the metaphorical storm raged, we tried to control the things we could in a way to inoculate ourselves. We found ways to drum up feelings of coziness and well-being the best that we could. We were unintentionally forming Hygge-like practices. But the true form of Hygge does have some specific elements to it and this post is about sharing those elements with you.

*This isn’t a sponsored post but I am adding a few (non-affiliate)  links in case you’d like to use this as a Hygge Gift Guide. 

Here are 3 ways to intentionally implement Hygge in your home

Bring the outdoors in– Hygge isn’t about hiding from the outside. It’s actually about creating comfort by finding a way to merge the two. I saw a meme about Hygge that said “there’s no bad weather, just inadequate clothing.” Hygge is about ensuring that you’re warm and cozy while you’re enjoying life outside or bringing in the beauty of the outdoors, to up your cozy level when you’re inside.

Decorating with pinecones, leaves, flowers or even an indoor herb garden are all great ways to bring the outdoors in. I love this window sill planter. Another way to bring nature closer is by hanging a bird feeder outside of your kitchen window. I think this one is pretty perfect.

Evoke a warm glow-we already use soft lighting in our home and I love scented candles with fall or winter scents but the true way to hygge isn’t really about artificial scents it’s more about keeping things natural. A set of unscented candles will give your room a natural warmth. I love these but if you’re like me and do want to add a little scent to the room here are two of my favorites- Forbidden Fig for fall and White Cyprus for winter. Lighting a fireplace- wood, gas, or even a virtual one (this one on Youtube even has piano music), is a surefire way to add a cozy feel to a room. These would also make a great gift!

Indulge a little-we often think of self-care as discipline- healthy eating and exercise come to mind (both of which are great) but hygge also has layers of indulging. Think about creating a coffee or hot cocoa station with all of your favorite toppings, syrups, or caramels, or creating a book nook filled with some of your favorite inspiring books as well as a few just for pleasure reads. My daughter shared this hot chocolate maker with me and while I’m certainly more of a Nespresso lover this does look pretty amazing. I also love a basket in your main living space filled with cozy throws and pillows for movie nights or cuddling up with your favorite book. This wearable throw from Soft Surroundings was gifted to me and I honestly wish I could give one to all of my readers too. Which brings me to my favorite Hygge meme- Hygge is like wrapping a blanket around your life.

Those are the three easy ways I believe you can bring a little Hygge to your home but I would love to hear other tips you have to make your home cozier this time of year. 

Until Next Post,

Xo Tonya