How to Embrace Hygge at Home this Fall
After a busy summer of tending to the garden and traveling to catch up with loved ones, the first crisp autumn morning always feels like sweet relief. In the summer, the sunny days and bright nights tend to encourage a busier calendar, but when autumn begins we get to slow down and fully embrace hygge.
In the past, the colder seasons have filled me with anxiety and dread about surviving through endless grey days without a lick of green in sight. When I learned to embrace the colder weather thanks to hygge, the Danish practice of comfort and coziness, my relationship to fall and winter changed, and I started embracing seasonal living.
Hygge is a lifestyle practice that seamlessly integrates with holistic design as it focuses on slowing down, being intentional with your time, and nurturing your environment.
You may have already heard of hygge (pronounced “hue-gah” or “hoo-guh“), as it gained popularity around the world in 2017 when the book “The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living” was released. Hygge is the practice of slowing down to embrace small, cozy moments in the every day. It’s a simple practice that focuses on comfort, coziness, and connection. If you’re not sold by those three ‘C’ words, then keep reading to learn more about how to bring a little more comfort into your life.
The Pursuit of Daily Happiness
Meik Wiking describes hygge as the pursuit of daily happiness. I love this description! It’s a great reminder that there are beautiful moments in each day if we know where to look.
In a world so focused on trends and appearances it’s so important to be intentional about how we want to spend our time, and who we want to spend it with. Wiking describes hygge as “the art of creating intimacy,” and “coziness of the soul.” Those two descriptions alone are enough to convince me that this is a practice that everyone should try to experience. Notice also that those two descriptions have nothing to do with buying something or setting up the perfect dinner party. It’s very much a come as you are way of living. It also reminds us that happiness doesn’t have to be a big and bold declaration; happiness can be found in the quiet, simple moments.
How do you practice hygge?
In an article by Self, Wiking explained that the perfect hyggelig day would look like: “let[ting] a good stew simmer for hours while you read a good book and enjoy a nice cup of tea.” (Self 2018).
I would add to this that the next step would be to share the homemade stew with loved ones. Connecting in intimate settings with friends and family is a really important aspect of hygge. Is there anything cozier than inviting people over for a casual potluck?
Hygge can be anything as long as it is done with intention and gratitude. We live in a world where everyone is posting minute-by-minute updates on social media and nothing ever stops. Everything around us is moving at superspeed and our lizard brains simply can’t handle the level of stimulation we’re experiencing.
But it doesn’t have to be as time consuming as planning a weekly dinner party or surrounded by people you love. Hygge is something you can practice on your own, and really is just about taking a moment every once in a while to feel truly present in your body and in your surroundings. Autumn and winter are nature’s way of slowing down. It’s only appropriate that we would also embrace rest and relaxation at this time of year.
Bringing Hygge Home
Hygge is all about home comforts which means its a great opportunity for seasonally appropriate improvements. You definitely don’t need to buy anything new to practice hygge, but there are a few things you can do in your home to really set the mood.
In my house, this means making a fire in the mornings while we’re having our coffee and tea. Well, we usually also light a fire in the evenings. We basically just love having the fire on at all times. It also looks like switching out my linen sheets for flannel, and my summery throw cushion covers for warmer, deeper tones.
Making seasonally appropriate changes is key. Now that the cooler weather is here, I’m finding joy in my favourite slippers, thick wool blankets, and lighting candles. The soft glow of a candle is basically synonymous with hygge. Even Wiking admits that candles are the only acceptable purchase in order to achieve hygge. Personally, I like the white candles from IKEA because they are budget-friendly and always look beautiful clustered together.
Does this sound vague? YES! And I’m doing that on purpose. I read so many blog posts that said you need this thing and can’t hygge without a special $400 blanket when I was doing research. The truth is, I can’t tell you what will bring you joy or make you feel cozy. It’s an experience you need to cultivate based on your own definition of comfort.
Bringing it all together
Hygge focuses on being intentional in all aspects of your life. It’s similar to the ‘romanticize your life’ trend in that way. Finding pleasure in small moments like enjoying a cup of coffee or reading a book in the park is a great way to be more mindful. When we bring intention into all of our tasks, we have the chance to slow down and breathe. And when we slow down, we have time to appreciate everything around us.
For a cozy gal like me, the concept of hygge feels as natural as breathing. And while you don’t have to wait for cold weather to introduce this practice, the beginning of autumn feels like the perfect time to embrace this way of being.
Okay, my fingers are cold from typing! It’s time for another warm mug of tea.
Let me know if you think this practice will help you weather the fall and winter!
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