Then, in the winter of 2016, I discovered the word “hygge”. You probably did too because it seemed like it was literally EVERYWHERE. In a nutshell, hygge is the Danish practice of embracing warm and cozy traditions to get through the winter months. It can be as simple as making a cup of tea for yourself every evening and wrapping up in your favorite blanket, or it can be as elaborate as a weekly dinner and game night with friends. The point is that you are making a conscious effort to make regular events special in some way. With buzzwords like “coziness”, “warmth”, and “contentment”, I was intrigued. But once I found out that hygge can also be incorporated into your interior decorating, I was sold.
I scoured Pinterest for examples of hygge decorating and was not disappointed (seriously, does Pinterest ever disappoint?). Then I hit Gordmans, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx to find some hygge treasures. I ended up with a faux fur rug, two plush woven pillows, a fox pillow, and a lighted birch tree. I set them all up next to my fireplace, and voila! I had a cozy little hygge spot where I could sip hot tea and read my books. My collection of hygge artifacts has increased over the last couple of years, but not with just random crap. Another aspect of hygge is nostalgia, so most of my new additions have a backstory. I’ve added two pillows that my mom knit by hand from wool she spun and dyed herself. One of my throws is a blanket I won playing dirty santa with some of the best coworkers I’ve ever had. Another throw is from my aunt who is more like a grandma to me. Now that’s not to say that you can’t go to Target and buy something really cute, but you get the jist of what I’m saying.
It may sound silly, but I can now say that this time of year is no longer one that I dread. Instead of getting depressed just thinking about it, I actually look forward to it! I can hardly wait to put away all my Christmas and get out my hygge stuff each January. I use throw pillows, rugs, LED candles, lighted trees, and blankets to create my hygge vibe. The best part is that they’re all relatively inexpensive items if you know where to shop! The most costly item is a rug that was $24.99. I would happily pay even more, though, for the boost of cheerfulness I get from the overall effect. I know that a lot of us struggle with a post-holiday winter funk. If that’s you, I highly encourage you to try a little bit of hygge in your life. Here are some pics of how mine has evolved over the past few years to get you started:
My first attempt at hygge in my old house! This was back when we had a Gordman’s, so I’m pretty sure I got everything for less than $50 total.
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