How Do You Hygge?

I recently came across the word “hygge” and realized that I love to hygge. Do you hygge? Or, are you asking yourself, “What in the world is hygge?”

Hygee is a Danish term defined as “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” Pronounced “hoo-guh,” the word is said to have no direct translation in English, though “cozy” comes close. It derives from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, hugga, meaning “to comfort” or “to console,” which is related to the English word “hug.” (source)

Whether alone or with friends, at home or out, simple or extravagant, hygge is being aware of a good moment. It’s not about learning how to hygge. Instead, it’s about enjoying the moment.

Last night, before our son went to bed, I sat on the couch next to him and asked him to give me a hug. I then stretched out on the couch and asked him to crawl up on me to cuddle. He grabbed his blankie, climbed onto me, and cuddled with me for 10 minutes or so. For him to stay still for that long (he’s three) came as a shock to me. During those 10 minutes, my heart was so full. Sharing that special moment with him before bedtime was something I’ll never forget and something I hope we can start to turn into a nightly routine.

From creating a comfortable atmosphere in my home to cuddling with my kiddos to enjoying an evening on the porch with my husband sipping wine, I love finding hygge in the most simplest of ways. And, as you can tell by the name of this site, I’m all about simplicity.

So, how do I hygge?

Atmosphere

I love creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere in my home. From neutral tones to an essential oil diffuser to a lit fireplace … there’s nothing better than snuggling up on the couch with the kiddos. If we’re not on the couch in the living room, then we’re on the screened in porch. If you’ve been following my Instagram account, you’ll quickly realize that we love spending time outside, especially on our screened in porch. Candles, blankets, pillows, succulents, framed photos are just some of the items in our house that help me hygge.

These household items are totally hygge for me.

Clothing

I love wearing my hyggebukser, aka the pair of pants that I would never wear out in public. These pants usually come out at night when I’m winding down for bed. Or, throwing on a comfy sweater. There’s nothing like throwing on a pair of jeans and a comfy sweater, am I right?

These sweaters are totally hygge for me.

Food

There’s nothing like the first sip of coffee every morning. I love getting the kids ready for the day and then sitting at the computer to get some work done all while sipping on coffee. Even better? Not having to hop on the computer. Instead, sitting on the couch on a morning during the weekend and snuggling under a blanket while sipping on coffee is definitely hygge for me.

Ever since my husband and I have been together, we’ve always believed strongly in date night. We’re crazy in love with each other and I think that our strong belief in date nights definitely helps to maintain that affection. Even though my husband and I have a two kids, we still continue to enjoy date nights, even if that means staying home and having a date night in instead of out.

One of my favorite date nights with my husband is actually when we stay home. Even though we love to eat dinner together as a family, there are some nights where my husband and I will save dinner for each other. After we put our kids to bed, we turn on the music, spend time on the back porch, pour cocktails, light up the grill, turn on the oven, and cook dinner together. Now that is some awesome hygge.

These cooking tools are totally hygge for me.

It’s so easy to let life’s simply joys and pleasures slip by because we are too busy, too tired, too pulled-in-too-many-directions. But, life is full of simple joy. For me, when my husband and son are playing together or when my husband is cuddling with our daughter, I always make sure to stop and take either a physical or mental photo. I never want those moments to pass by. It’s those photos that bring me so much joy, especially during difficult days.

From flowers to sunsets, laughter to smiles, coffee to ice cream, find the simple joys in life that bring you calm and peace.