The holiday season is officially upon us. Celebrations with family and friends are likely filling up your calendar, while the days in between are spent reflecting on the year gone by. As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, nothing makes the holiday season quite as enticing as the warm embrace of being cozy at home or in the homes of loved ones. Creating that special sense of coziness is somewhat of a learned art and, in fact, a renowned way of life in Danish culture. Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-gah’) is a Danish philosophy that has spread widely across the world and literally means to “cozy around together.” Here we’re sharing a few tips on how to embrace hygge in your home this holiday season.
Create a welcoming home
There are endless opportunities to host family and friends over the holidays, whether it be for an evening or an extended weekend stay. To ensure you and your guests are comfortable during the time spent in your home, it’s important to create a warm and welcoming environment that fosters ‘hyggelig.’ Taking on this challenge room by room can help in creating a fully hygged home.
Family room
The family room is a key feature of a home. This space should evoke a sense of comfort as well as festivity during the holidays. After all, for many families, this is where the bulk of Christmas morning is spent, huddled around the Christmas tree and stockings. Alongside these festive pieces, incorporating hygge techniques can give your living room an extra special feel.
Lighting
Good lighting can make all the difference in a room and is an essential part of creating a hygge-style living space. Rather than bright white overhead bulbs, the hygge philosophy recommends embracing as much natural light as your house allows for. So swap out those heavy opaque curtains for a more sheer style that welcomes in sunlight while still providing privacy. In more closed in rooms without any windows, incorporate some alternative forms of lighting to enhance the cozy and inviting atmosphere of a space. Light a few more candles than usual, string twinkle lights around your mantel and keep your fireplace lit for a warming glow. Once the sun goes down, these soft lights will provide just enough illumination to create a sense of hygge that encourages relaxation and intimate conversation.
Texture
Our sense of touch is fundamental to feeling cozy, therefore texture is an
important part of embracing hygge. Incorporating various textured pieces in your home, such as weathered wood, sleek marble and soft leather can provide a uniquely lived-in touch to your decor. For a festive flair, mix in some metallics or sparkly pieces alongside your traditionally neutral color scheme. This adds a sense of celebration without sacrificing the cozy and natural style of hygge. Along with decor, your furniture is an essential aspect to embracing hygge in your home. Around the holidays, identify the various pieces in your living room that will likely be most utilized by guests and consider ways to improve the comfort level of those pieces. Replacing worn-out or tattered seating with a new overstuffed sofa or adding a few soft seating options like bean bags or floor pillows offers guests an inviting place to rest in your home. Then, to amp up the coziness, incorporate textured accessories like wool blankets, cushy pillows and sheepskin rugs around the space.
Kitchen
For many families, the kitchen is the heart of the home and often a key element in holiday celebrations. Between preparing meals and beverages, as well as entertaining guests, your kitchen sees a lot of action over these next few months. Carry the sense of hygge into this space with a few simple tweaks.
Scent
Certain scents often evoke particular emotions or feelings when smelled.
Recreating comforting memories with earthy and warm scents like sandalwood, or joyful memories of summers with citrus can make guests feel right at home. Around the holidays opt for traditional scents like Nest Birchwood Pine to give off that cozy Christmas morning sensation all season long. These inviting scents can be created naturally through what you’re cooking in your kitchen or with subtle additions. Essential oil diffusers, scented candles and air fresheners are all great options for spreading your desired scent.
Refreshments
Food and beverages are a large part of holiday celebrations and how you
present these meals can be an excellent outlet to embrace hygge in your
home. A hot chocolate bar, for example, is a fun and inviting way to offer
guests a chance to customize their holiday beverages. Stocking up on goodies like peppermint sticks, chocolate chips, marshmallows and whipped cream are fun additions to a cozy holiday classic.
Bedrooms
Creating a sense of hygge in your bedrooms can provide you and your
overnight guests with the warm and welcoming atmosphere one desires in a home-away-from-home. Simple additions such as a weighted blanket, fluffy slippers, lavender scented pillow spray and softly lit lamps can make for a cozy oasis to retreat to after a night of holiday celebrations.
Color
Paint can do wonders for a room, transforming the entire feel and energy.
Being a space for rest and relaxation, you want to be sure the colors in your bedroom elicits those feelings. Soft pastels and clean whites are always a good choice, especially when paired with hygge inspired accent pieces. Hanging plants and soft lighting can create a space that brings the beauty of the outdoors inside while encouraging ultimate relaxation.
The holiday season is first and foremost about the loved ones in your life and showing them how thankful you are to have them. Incorporating hygge into your home this season can help demonstrate your gratefulness by creating a peaceful and comforting space. As you partake in your holiday traditions this year, we hope you find ways to include many benefits of hygge!
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