It's that time of year again; it's getting cold and it's getting dark which means it's time to retreat indoors and hibernate until Spring. The Danish have a word for that kind of thing: "hygge". It's a lifestyle dedicated to enjoying the little things in life and luxuriating in the cosy, peaceful activities that Winter offers.
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Here are the 9 best ways to enjoy a hygge lifestyle for the next few months:
1. Read a good book
You might love a movie or a good Netflix binge, and why not? That's just as hygge as anything else. However, there's something most charming and relaxing about cosying up with your favourite book in an armchair in a quiet room, and getting lost in a fictional world without electronic distractions.
2. Drink a lot of a cocoa
Hygge is all about gigantic mugs of steaming chocolate, coffee and tea so embrace it. You'll feel warm and seasonal on the inside, and it's literally the antidote to most problems.
3. Bring nature into your home
It sounds a bit feng shui but it's good for the soul and forces you to take care of your surroundings. Make wreaths from evergreen plants and hang them on your doors, then as Winter enters its final weeks, bring in those early flowering plants to remind you that Spring is well on the way.
4. Stay in with pets and friends
Save money that you might otherwise spend in restaurants and clubs and invite your friends into your home. Cook for them, play with your pets, play board games, watch movies... Everyone enjoys a night in once in a while and bonding is best done in extreme comfort. Plus, your pets - if you have any - will be pleased for the company.
5. Learn to knit
There is literally nothing more hygge than a big pile of yarn. Thanks to YouTube, you don't need to fork out for classes to learn how to knit or crochet, and it's a skill totally worth learning. Even if you never make more than a scarf, the sense of achievement you get out of it is astonishing considering you are curled up on the sofa twisting yarn around some sticks.
6. Get baking
You can worry about your figure later; you're not going to be needing a bikini body for a while. As much as hot drinks are important for the hygge life, so are hot biscuits and bread. Enjoy your comfort food and challenge yourself in the kitchen. After all, spending time baking is the best way to keep warm.
7. Wrap up warm
Slippers, socks, sweaters, blankets and ponchos are the order of the day. Do everything you can to make yourself as comfortable as possible. It sounds obvious, but people neglect their own comfort a lot more than even they realise. Turn up the heating, light your fireplace and layer up. You'll thank yourself for it later.
8. Light candles
Scented candles are everywhere this time of year so make use of them. Turn off the garish lights in your home in favour of the old-fashioned method. There's something so comforting about watching the flames flicker, and the dimmer lights will make you feel relaxed and help ease any anxieties
9. Practise yoga
It's still important to exercise your body even while you might be indulging a little more in the diet area. Jogging or traipsing to the gym are not the most attractive of options when it's freezing outside, so why not stay by the fire and do a little yoga instead? Candles and peaceful music on in the background, and you've got a hygge work-out.
Tagged in winter