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Your Christmas deserves some more peaceful exhales rather than a clenched jaw and a to-do list. Let’s add some snugness to your Holiday season by making it a Hygge Christmas!
Perhaps you’ve heard the word Hygge (pronounced like hoo-ga) tossed around like a synonym for coziness, and to be truthful, that’s not far off. From the author of the renowned book “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living” himself, Meik Wiking, the quote below is a brief look into the deeper meaning of hygge.
“Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down.”
Meik Wiking, ceo of the happiness research institute, copenhagen
The opposite of shopping until you drop or standing in line for the next big thing, as Wiking explained, Hygge is more about who you surround yourself with and what comfort your select material items bring.
No shade to those who love shopping; more power to you! But in the likes of Hygge, it’s kind of the wrong direction.
In this article, we’re going to lay out some guilt-free, easy-to-follow tips for a Hygge Christmas and even a few Hygge Christmas crafts!
Hygge Christmas Tips
Christmas is a time for cuddles with your loved ones, full laughs, good food, and exercising that gratitude muscle. So how does Hygge fit into all of that?
The real question is, how does it not? There’s so much fun to be had when you sprinkle in some of these tips for a Hygge Christmas. Maybe you’ll even be starting some hygge traditions of your own!
Hygge Christmas Food
Food is a major, and very much looked forward to, part of every holiday. Make this Christmas and for years to come one to remember by switching up the Christmas menu! Trust us; your guests will be quite intrigued, entertained, and maybe even inspired.
Take a peek at these Hygge Christmas-approved tips!
- Tap into your roots. Remember taking that DNA test and finding out you’re 8.3% Italian, Polish, or what have you? Do a little bit of research and choose to make a dish or dessert from one of your ethnic backgrounds! Imagine the connection you could feel to a deeper part of you while you’re in the baking/cooking process and how fun it will be to tell your guests the significance behind the dish you chose.
- Have a potluck. Not only does this help take some weight off the host, but it’s also a terrific way to gather around different types of food and talk about dish choices. As a bonus, ask your guests to bring their recipes so your guests have a chance to swap recipes with one another!
- Cook together. This doesn’t have to be your whole guest list, especially if you come from a larger family. But have a small group, or even just one another person, and cook together! Family and cooking/baking make for an elite hygge experience. You’re creating a meal together, something to be shared and enjoyed, while also making a memory!
Cherish Time with Loved Ones
Of course, this seems like a bit of an obvious one. But, sadly, it can be easily whisked away into the cloud dust of hustling feet during this crazy-busy season.
It’s time to take the busy out of this season and truly make it a Hygge Christmas. What’s something you look back on when you think of your favorite Christmas memories? You saw the people you love, didn’t you?
Prioritizing your family and friends is the most important thing not only for a Hygge Christmas but also for your soul. You can always go out and buy a gift, but you can’t go out and buy more time.
Here are some fun Hygge Christmas family/friends activities to engage with your loved ones!
- Winter hike/walk
- Drink hot chocolate and go around sharing Christmas memories
- Board games/card games
- Bundle up and go sledding
- Crafting time
- Watch a classic Christmas movie
- Collect quirky clothing accessories before gathering, bring a box of the items outside, and everyone builds a snowman to dress up!
- Reading time with the fireplace going (real or classic YouTube fireplace will do)
- Have Christmas music on in the background and visit with one another (Or if anyone is brave enough to start a dance party, go for it!)
- Take a trip to an outdoor ice skating rink
- Put on some layers and make snow angels
Every family and friend group is different; whatever makes you guys tick as a group, run with it! As long as everyone feels involved, off their phones, and feels like they belong, you’re doing it the Hygge way.
Hygge Christmas for the Furbabies
Share the hygge Christmas spirit with the furry companions you love the most! You may be wondering how in the world you can accomplish this; isn’t Hygge just for humans? Well, give your thinking cap a rest and leave the rest to us because your furbaby is about to have one Hygge Christmas!
- Bake Treats. This is a huge Hygge Christmas tip that you can incorporate with your furbaby. Baking your own goods is very Hygge, and it’s even said that the longer a recipe takes, the more Hygge it is! Bake some treats, especially for your furry companion on Christmas; it’ll bring a grin to both your faces.
- Go for a walk. As mentioned above, walking really promotes being in the moment, exercise, and in this case, more time with the furry one you love. Go in the morning before the business comes on and have some time alone with your pet. Embrace the Christmas season around you!
- Extra cuddles. Last but not least, the most important ingredient to a Hygge Christmas for pets is extra cuddles. It may feel like there are a million things to do, and perhaps there are, but find moments in your day to chill out for even 5-10 minutes and give your wonderful pet some loving rubs and scratches.
Hygge Christmas Tips for Yourself
We all need some reminders on self-care, and this is your set of friendly reminders on how to keep yourself in the moment to make for a Hygge Christmas!
- Dress comfy. We love an adorable Christmas dress; get your Audrey Hepburn on. But you don’t have to wear a dress if you don’t want to. Wear what makes you comfy! The ultimate Hygge outfit is a big cozy sweater, relaxed pants, and thick snuggly socks. Get your family and friends in on it too; hygge for all!
- Pocket your phone. This may come off a bit abrupt, but you’ll thank us later! The more time you spend off your phone, the more you’ll be pulled away from the atmosphere of arbitrary likes and follows and more towards the things you like right in front of you and the people who choose to be by your side physically. If you want to capture some moments on your phone, of course, there’s nothing wrong with snapping a photo or documenting your Uncle chugging that glass of eggnog. Simply putting your phone or Do Not Disturb or Airplane mode should help!
- Take moments to express your gratitude. This doesn’t have to be said out loud unless you’d like to share it with others and make it a wholesome activity. But by acknowledging what’s around you and being thankful for it, you’ll notice the lightness in your step and the smile on your face. Bonus: Have a bowl out for your guests with slips of paper and writing utensils beside it. Create a prompt of having your guests anonymously write down what they’re grateful for; encourage them to write on more than one slip! Later in the night, take some time to read them all out loud and see the thankful spirit and kindness spread.
- Take a step back if you’re overwhelmed. We all talk about how busy Christmas can be, but often we don’t acknowledge that it can be overwhelming for some. Whether it’s from past memories, over-stimulation, or your Great Aunt brought up the election again; sometimes you need a breather, and that’s completely valid. Find a quiet space to decompress for 10-15 minutes. Read a page or two of a book you’re reading or enjoying, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate or tea, or even take a brief trip outside.
- Bundle up and take a walk. Christmas morning, night, or at the latest, the next morning. Whichever you decide, taking a walk can be a nice breath of fresh air, a chance to process the holidays, and it can help you physically feel better after eating all those goodies.
From all of us here at Repurposing Junkie, we wish you a safe, warm, and but of course, cozy Hygge Christmas!