Parenthood Simplified: 5 Ways to Add A Little Danish Hygge to Your Home - MetroFamily Magazine
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Parenthood Simplified: 5 Ways to Add A Little Danish Hygge to Your Home

by Kate Saffle and Melissa Risenhoover

Reading Time: 2 minutes 

The holiday season has officially ended, winter doldrums are settling in and summer weather feels eons away. Rather than focus on what January is lacking, we want to encourage you to embrace the coziness of the winter season instead. Hygge (pronounced: hoo-gah) is a Danish word that is loosely defined as a way of living that creates warmth inside the home even when the temperature is dropping outdoors. Bring a little Scandinavian culture into your home this winter by trying a few of the following ideas:

Ready, Set, Glow

Hygge is a time to light candles, turn on the fireplace and hang twinkle lights around your home. When the days are progressively shorter, find ways to bring the light indoors and create a feeling of warmth amid the darkness.

Get Cozy

Just as you wouldn’t step outside without wearing your warmest layers, your home should also prepared for the coldest of days. Add thick, fuzzy, comforting textiles to your home, dress in cozy layers and snuggle with your family, creating a haven from the outdoors.

Gather Around the Table

Hygge is also a time for laughter around the dinner table, lingering conversations and platters of comforting food. Make over your dinner hygge-style by cooking simple dishes, lighting candles on the table and engaging in thoughtful conversation.

Welcome Others into Your Home

Even though the holidays are over, consider inviting friends and neighbors over for casual gatherings. Play card or board games, share warming beverages and intentionally connect. The winter is the perfect time to practice hospitality and connect with others through heartfelt friendships and meaningful get-togethers.

Embrace the Philosophy

Hygge is a philosophy that runs deeper than physical belongings. Instead it’s a way of living that embraces the simple joys of family and friends, a slower pace of life and making time for what matters. Even if your days are busy with work and school, consider implementing hygge in your home and build a family culture around togetherness.

Whether you decorate your home with twinkling tea lights or invite neighbors over for hot chocolate and board games, we hope you’re inspired to implement some hygge into your family culture. Take time this January to live like our Danish friends and make your home a welcoming sanctuary and a respite from long, winter days.

To learn more about hygge and the joys of living seasonally, listen to Episode 17 of the Cohesive Home Podcast.

Kate Saffle and Melissa Risenhoover, two best friends who met as neighbors in Oklahoma City’s Belle Isle neighborhood, share a passion for guiding families toward stress-free parenting through simplifying. They host the Cohesive Home Podcast as well as offer resources for crafting a happier, values-driven home. Find out more on their website and connect on Instagram.

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