With these simple suggestions, you won’t need to spend a fortune to add some hygge to your Christmas celebrations.
It doesn’t seem like that long ago that hygge really wasn’t all that well known here in the UK. Now it feels like every brand is using this cosy Danish concept to sell their goods, and we’re teetering on the brink of hygge overload!
But a lot of people seem to misunderstand what it means. They’re under the impression that they need to immediately rush out and spend a fortune on expensive candles and home furnishings.
Stop!
Hygge is about what you feel, not what you spend. Yes, you might want to buy a few extra bits and bobs along the way, but you don’t need to go overboard.
So grab a hot drink, light some candles and fetch down your duvet – we’ve got some simple ways for you to incorporate hygge into Christmas.
Decorating the Tree
Don’t feel that you need to rush out and buy a whole raft of new Scandi-themed decorations or spend hours crafting your own Christmas wreath. Unless of course you want to!
Bringing out the traditional decorations that you use year after year is very hyggelig.
When my sons were little, I used to let them decorate the Christmas tree, holding back my natural inclination to organise where the decorations lie. We’d put a favourite Christmas CD on, and it really gets us in the festive spirit.
Now that they’re all grown up, I savour unwrapping our old decorations each winter, remembering where and when they were bought. Some of my decs are over 20 years old now, and bring back some very happy memories of Christmas past.
And every year, I buy a new decoration to add to my collection. It’s a lovely way to build new Christmas memories.
Fill the House with Candles
I think this is one thing that is definitely worth spending some money on at Christmas. Scent is very evocative, and filling your home with gorgeous fragrances will bring back memories of Christmas past.
My favourite is still Winter from the White Company, and I use this scent in both my bedroom and downstairs in the living room. It smells of all sorts of delicious Christmassy things – cinnamon, cloves and oranges.
But you don’t need to go overboard – using too many fragranced candles turns the scent from relaxing to overpowering!
Dotting inexpensive unscented tealights and votives around your home will fill the evening with the soft glow of candlelight. I usually brave Ikea at the start of December to stock up!
You don’t need to hit the shops to buy an over-sized knitted blanket either. Bring down the duvets and pillows from the bedrooms, put a Christmas film on and open up the Christmas chocolates. You’ll be feeling hyggelig before you know it!
Wrapping the Presents
Yes, although it may feel like a chore, you can even add hygge to gift wrapping! I usually make up some of my favourite Mulled Wine and light the candles so that I’m soon feeling really cosy. Putting on one of my favourite Christmas films makes the evening feel even more festive.
And you can up the hygge feeling by choosing gift wrap that fits in with your theme.
Whether your theme is traditional red and white, pastel pinks or on-trend jewel colours, you’re bound to find gift wrap to match.
Time with Family, Time Alone
Christmas is obviously a season when we spend time with our loved ones. That’s an important aspect of hygge but it’s also important to take time alone as well.
The stresses of trying to have a perfect Christmas and keeping everyone happy can easily start to get too much. Before too long, your home can start to feel like a pressure cooker.
So be sure to take some time out to regroup, especially if you are more of an introvert.
I’ll be heading out with my dog Charlie for a walk on Christmas Day afternoon. It lets me clear my head and stretch my legs after cooking and eating Christmas Dinner. And Boxing Day is always reserved for me to make a start on any books that I received for Christmas, as well as any chocolates!