Having a hygge Christmas is all about approaching the holiday with intentional coziness and a minimalist-like contentment with the small joys of the season. Practicing hygge this holiday season requires nothing more than a slow approach to all the celebrations.
With some Nordic traditions and details thrown in to honor the origin of the hygge concept, your home and your Christmas will leave you feeling cozy and content.
Put Up a Real Christmas Tree
There's nothing quite like the smell of a real Christmas tree, and holiday scents are just one of the things that elevate your hygge vibes. The evergreen branches, the beloved scent, and the old-fashioned Christmas feeling make a real tree the perfect start for your first hygge holiday.
Make Traditional Scandinavian Treats
Hygge isn't just about the organic decorations and the slow approach to your celebrations. Like most Christmas aesthetics, this one also has a large focus on the food. The well-being and contentment of a hygge Christmas comes from the Danish practice of the same name. Honor those roots with some authentic Danish or Scandinavian food for your celebratory meals and holiday baking.
- Bake Swedish cinnamon buns for your family's Christmas breakfast.
- Make drinks with Scandinavian aquavit.
- Serve pork as the main dish for your Christmas dinner.
- Share some loaves of Danish rye bread.
Fast Fact
Never heard of it and wondering what hygge is? It's a Danish aesthetic describing a quality that can best be described as comfort, coziness, and well-being.
Scent Your Home With a Seasonal Simmer Pot
A crackling fire and your beautiful Christmas tree need a scent just as cozy to complete the comforting energy. Simmer pots use natural ingredients like herbs and fresh fruit to fill your home with Christmas scents.
Fast Fact
Wondering how to pronounce hygge? Well, it's a bit different from what you might expect. Hygge is pronounced "hoog-uh."
Make a Garland With Food
For an authentic hygge Christmas experience, homemade decorations help you keep things literally real. Dried fruit, popcorn, and cranberries make a lovely garland for your tree or mantel.
Homemade garland also gives you an opportunity to embrace the family-focused, slow-living approach to a hygge holiday. Spending some time with loved ones, stringing popcorn, and drying oranges helps you unplug for a new family Christmas tradition.
Have a Slow Approach to the Holidays
One of the most defining aspects of hygge is a slower, contented outlook on holidays like Christmas. Trade the usual fast-paced holiday for a laid-back and unrushed Christmas. Hygge permits you to let go of all the holiday demands that don't serve you and hold on tight to the small moments that matter most.
If you're practicing hygge this year, you can say no to the things that overwhelm you or the events that don't fit into your slower outlook. Prioritizing time to recharge and make memories is why hygge is a growing trend among families for the holidays.
Incorporate Cozy Flames
Hygge is all about the comforting ambiance. Include some cozy flames in your slow Christmas festivities by lighting candles or starting up your fireplace for a homey holiday. Nothing encourages a slow December evening like a comforting fire and your favorite Christmas-scented candle.
Use Scandinavian Christmas Decor
If you aren't a fan of all the homemade or traditional decor, you can still have a hygge Christmas. Scandinavian Christmas decorations have clean lines, neutral colors, and plenty of natural materials and textures. Incorporate those aspects into your usual holiday decor, and you can gently step into hygge this Christmas.
Make Space for Quality Time
Slowing down is great, but it's what you do with the slow time that matters most. A little planning ahead for some serious quality time helps you have a truly authentic hygge Christmas. Here are a few ways you can spend quality time with your loved ones while keeping a slower pace this holiday season.
- Work on Christmas puzzles together.
- Snuggle up for Christmas movies or a read-a-loud of the Christmas story.
- Make homemade Christmas gifts for other family members together.
- Bake some sweet holiday treats to enjoy as a family.
Make Everything Cozy With Layers
Show everyone that you're really embracing this whole hygge idea. Welcome everyone with the coziest home they've ever seen. Layers of blankets and soft pillows invite family and friends to settle in for a long stay and embrace this contented holiday with you.
Hang Some Homemade Decor
Homemade decor gives your home that one-of-a-kind cozy aesthetic that you just can't get from a store. Knit your own stockings, make your own Christmas candles, and don't forget the crafted Christmas ornaments.
Balance Cozy Vibes With Minimalism
Going hygge for your holiday doesn't mean you have to be a minimalist, but it does make the process a bit easier. A minimalist Christmas might help you focus more on experiences and memories instead of all the materialistic things that tend to take center stage during the holidays.
Let Nature Inspire You
The appreciation for nature is a large part of the hygge practice. Since so much of hygge is based on the senses, it makes sense to draw inspiration from the elements. So, bring the outside in this Christmas! Start with the real Christmas tree and work your way out to natural materials and textures throughout your decorations.
Practice Some Holiday Hospitality
The contentment and slow pace of a hygge Christmas also includes a focus on hospitality. As you're making your holiday more about people, experiences, and rest, you might find yourself wanting to host more often. Now that your home is cozy and welcoming, guests will probably be longing to come over anyway.
Start small if you need to and just entertain one or two friends. Once you've eased into the holiday hospitality, your home might just become the hub of all your Christmas celebrations.
Transform Your Christmas Approach With Hygge
You're slowing down, making memories, and focusing more on the people you're celebrating with. Hygge is all about helping you do that. Remember, you don't have to do the whole hygge thing perfectly. The point is to focus on the parts of hygge that make the holidays special for you.
