Add a touch of hygge to your home this winter
Let's set the scene: it's a chilly winter evening and you're at home, dressed in your favourite knit jersey, wrapped up in a warm blanket, curled up next to a blazing fire and clutching a mug of hot tea in your hands. This is Hygge.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, Hygge is a word used to describe a quality of cosiness that makes people feel content and comfortable. The word Hygge originated in Norway and Denmark and eventually found its way into the English language as a word to describe comfy and cosy surroundings that create feelings of contentment or well-being. In short - it is that good feeling you get from enjoying the simple (and cosy) things in life.
When it comes to feeling cosy and content, the first thing that comes to mind is the cold winter months, when people want nothing more than to be cocooned in a blanket; and, if you think of the climate in Denmark and Norway, it's easy to see why this is central to the concept of hygge. Winter can often feel endless and the short days and cold temperatures can lead to a case of the winter blues. This is why, whether you're based along the coast, where winters are moody and wet, or in the highveld where winters are characterised by crisp days and ice-cold nights, achieving a sense of hygge in your home will help you feel a bit better as you navigate cold fingers and that increased desire to snack.
Here's how to bring a little bit of hygge into your home this winter:
1. Keep warm
Warmth is a key part of hygge, so whether you've got a deliciously warm fireplace, or a good old gas heater, get it going and let it heat up your home. This will not only create a cosy atmosphere in your home's interior, but it will also keep that winter chill at bay; and, after all, there's nothing better than curling up next to a warm fire or heater to keep warm on a cold winter's evening.
2. Get an abundance of cosy blankets and throws
You can't go wrong with having a whole lot of luxuriously warm blankets and throws, as they are great for adding a cosy feeling to your home's interior and, what's more, they're perfect for cocooning yourself in while you relax. To help you find some wonderfully warm blankets to place in and around your home and to wrap yourself up in, we've found some local online stores that have the perfect blankets for you:
Since you know just how far a cosy blanket can go to keep out the cold, please consider sharing this warmth with those who are less fortunate by donating a blanket to your local blanket drives, homeless shelters or national blanket drives such as https://www.unitedway.org.za/covid-19-clothes-and-blanket-donation-drive.
3. Have a selection of teas and other hot drinks on hand
Nothing says cosy quite like clutching a steaming mug of your favourite hot drink, whether you prefer exclusive teas, coffee, hot chocolate or even glühwein made from your favourite red wine. Having a selection of hot drinks close at hand goes a long way to creating that feeling of hygge in your home and for lifting your mood.
4. Put on your comfy clothes
When it comes to achieving real comfort, there's really nothing better than replacing your everyday work clothes with something truly comfy whether it's a warm knit jersey, your favourite sweatpants, leggings or even your fluffiest dressing gown. After all, you can't truly unwind while still dressed in your office best. And, because the simple joys that comfort brings are true to the goal of hygge, then the minute you don your cosiest and comfiest clothes, you're already a step in the right direction.
Winter is rarely people's favourite time of the year, and now - especially with lockdown and social distancing - keeping that winter chill and those winter blues at bay is more important than ever. Bringing hygge into your home not only gives you the opportunity to stay warm and cosy during the colder months, but it also brings with it feelings of contentment and peace of mind that might just take the edge off any stress you may be feeling.
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01 Jun 2020
Author Lisa