The Season of Hygge

 

Welcome back! Fluff up those pillows and snuggle in. Do you have your cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate? Your glass of wine, perhaps? January is ideal for RumChata and eggnog, in my opinion, but right now, I’m enjoying a cup of chamomile and lavender tea with a dab of local honey. Anyway, ‘tis the season of hygge, and we’ll talk about why.

Winter is the season for hygge because cold weather is the perfect excuse to wear cute jumpers and sweatpants, or overalls with thick socks. We can sip on hot drinks and eat hot foods (without sweating) and cuddle up in bed with all the blankets, even the weighted one. Hygge can exist despite the cold, too. The sun sets earlier in the winter, so we can light our homes aglow with fairy lights, Christmas lights, nightlights, and candles. Candles give the perfect warm glow, so any light that imitates that glow is hygge. I love coming home to my salt lamp and little mushroom nightlight because it feels like I am literally stepping into my comfort zone when I open the door. To visually see the glow from outside transports me to a cute little town in the north pole with candles burning in windows.

Another reason winter is the season for hygge is because of Christmas. Families gather to celebrate and exchange gifts and share their presence with one another. Some families only see each other for this holiday, which makes Christmas even more special. Everyone will indulge themselves in play, conversation, and the most hygge of all, food. Sharing food is very hygge because it brings people together and provides conversation, whether it’s asking for the recipe or talking about how delicious it is and asking others to try it. Food that is the most hygge is food that takes hours to make, simmering over the stove or cooking all day in a slow cooker.

Winter festivities also make the season hygge. This year, my friends and I reconnected over food at Renault winery. We laughed and talked over plates and plates (and drinks) of food inside an igloo. Afterwards, we walked over to hot cocoa stands and watched the last group of ice skaters. Though this experience was pricey, the winery offered other events that were free. Not everything to do in winter is costly. For example, my friends and I plan on visiting Smithville to walk through their Christmas lights next year. And in two weeks, my partner and I are visiting my uncle’s cabin to play in the snow. My family is fortunate to have such a place where we can escape to and the only expense is the travel (and tubing or skiing tickets), but we try to take advantage as much as possible. If it’s within your budget, I highly recommend visiting somewhere with snow and a fireplace to experience the ultimate winter hygge, if you don’t already have either.

Whether or not your winter is cold, some winter activities you can partake in to make your winter feel hygge are:

·         knitting/crocheting

·         cooking (specifically a recipe that takes hours to make and that multiple people can enjoy)

·         playing cozy video games, like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley

·         watching new-to-you movies, or very old movies

·         journaling

·         reading

·         decorating for the holidays, or removing decorations after the holidays, or redecorating

·         planning for the new year ahead

Thank you for reading and I wish you a happy and healthy new year! <3