Inviting the Spirit of Hygge—Part 2

The Danish concept of hygge (said hoo-gah)—as introduced in Part 1 of this article last week—is a perfect place to infuse the gray and darkness of winter with comfort and cheer. With long traditional roots, hygge is the purposeful practice of fostering coziness and joy. Hygge can be practiced any time of the year, but there’s something about winter that makes it especially meaningful and necessary.

Little, everyday comforts can help us invite the spirit of hygge into our lives and homes, even when the skies are gloomy and the news is depressing. Using our senses as a guide, we’ll continue the journey from last week, which covered Smell, Sight, and Hearing. Adapt the ideas offered below to what brings you and your family comfort and joy.

Taste. The holiday season is a wonderful time of year for flavors that spark joy and memory. Here are some of my favorites based on our family traditions.

• Grapefruit with crushed candy cane on top. For the holidays, it’s been customary for year for family to send the farm a big box of citrus, and there was always a chubby orange in the toe of my stocking. Grapefruits could be a bit tart, so when we served them as a sectioned half on a plate, we would crush a little candy cane on top. It’s delicious and just a touch pepperminty, so try it!
• Almond extract. I admit, this is one of the happiest flavors I know! German spritz cookies, infused with almond extract are an excellent holiday treat, and there’s nothing quite as Nordic traditional as almond Kringle for a holiday breakfast or fika (said fee-kah). The Swedish side of our family always called fika “coffee and a little something.” Try choosing a little something with almond extract.
• Chocolate. Ok, in my book, chocolate is medicine. Have a headache? Try some dark chocolate. Need a mood pick-me-up, yup, chocolate. It doesn’t have to be much, but it needs to be quality. The chocolate oranges that you crack open are a holiday favorite, as are Lynn Marie’s chocolate-covered sea salt caramels!

Touch. Let’s get cozy! Almost every hygge book I’ve found has a sheepskin throw on its cover, a cinnamon roll, and a hot mug of coffee. When it’s cold out, the textures we use to surround ourselves can transform misery into comfort. Try some of these ideas for coziness.

• Something fuzzy. Fleece socks? Time with your favorite pet? That classic sheepskin throw on a favorite rocking chair and a good book? Ironically, the Dutch language doesn’t have a word for fuzzy (they have to combine “soft” and “fluffy” to achieve the same sense), so live up the fuzzy comforts this season!
• Something warming. This might be a favorite sweater, Sherpa blanket on the sofa, or cozy slippers. Or it might be a fiber arts project that you are knitting or crocheting for a loved one. It’s amazing how much these warm your lap while you work on them!
• Something wooly. If you don’t have sheep in your barn to hug, bring some of the coziness home with their wool, whether as yarn, needle felted cuteness, or a shearling pelt. This is an amazing natural fiber that will still keep you warm even when it’s damp! Wool items are a great way to bring hygge into the home, beyond what any synthetic fibers can create. Alpaca is great too!

Camaraderie. While this is not one of the five senses, camaraderie is an important part of hygge culture. It’s not a year to gather together, but there are still many great ways we can enjoy the company we have at home already or can join virtually. Here are some starters.

• Board games. I have so many joyful holiday memories playing epic rounds of Sorry or Clue or Pictionary (ok, maybe I was having more fun with Pictionary than most). Forget keeping score and play for the fun of it. Hoot and holler and cheer each other on. Laugh through the process. Laughter is wonderful medicine.
• Prepare and eat meals together. This seems fundamental in our home, where we prepare all of our meals from scratch, but I know that in some households this is a rarity. Use meal preparation time as a chance to share skills, traditions, and stories, and see how much more you enjoy the meal together after all the work of preparing it.
• Puzzles. Every holiday, we would set up a card table for a large puzzle. Anyone could float in and out of the puzzle corner to work on it, take a beat from the conversations and have some quiet time, or work together to find that tiny cardinal sitting on the mailbox. Finishing a puzzle together also creates a warm sense of group accomplishment.

Ready to invite the spirit of hygge into your home this winter? Try any of these ideas or create your own for comfort and joy during the darkest months of the year. Stay warm and stay safe! See you down on the farm sometime.