Hygge, Hygge! Keeping Cozy in the Dark Months

We’re currently experiencing our third snow (fourth? It’s been on and off for a few days so it’s hard to say!) already this October here in Denver. In my few years here there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of transitional space between the very cold and the very hot weather, but the snow is definitely coming sooner this year than it has in my experience. RIP, crunching through the crisp autumn leaves with the warm sun on my face!

I spent some time in Scandinavia earlier this year learning healing techniques in the Norse tradition (more about that in future posts!), and while the sun was high in the sky all summer with almost no nighttime to speak of, it had me wondering what it must be like to experience the opposite of that. At the height of winter most of Scandinavia only experiences about three hours of daylight, and in the very far north the sun doesn’t even rise above the horizon. For those of us with seasonal moods, this may seem like some circle of hell, minus the fire.

I was incredibly curious about how they experience winter in this way, and so I asked some people about it. The response I received was fascinating. Rather than saying they spent the entire winter in a deep sleep waiting for the sun to reemerge (which was basically all I could imagine), most people spoke about how cozy it was. One person, a Colorado transplant I serendipitously came across in a cafe, even used the word, “magical”. I can only speak of this as well as I can understand it from an outsider’s perspective, but the sense I got was that, rather than wishing the winter away, over time the culture had developed a way to embrace the darker months. Candles are ubiquitous in every window, stars are hung with twinkly lights, coffee and tea made with an appreciation for the ritual, not just to meet a biological need. From hyggehouse.com, “the Danes see both the domestic and personal life as an art form and not every drudgery to get away from. They incorporate hygge into their daily life, so it becomes a natural extension rather than a forced and stressful event.”

Put this way, the concept of hygge almost has a meditative quality to it. Bringing awareness to the present moment and making adjustments as needed to find peace within that moment, rather than rushing past or wishing it away.

As the light continues to change and we approach the darker months, I’m doing my best to keep hygge in the forefront of my mind, lighting candles, roasting winter vegetables, outfitting the house with extra cozy blankets (pro tip from my partner’s dad - you can find amazing blankets at the thrift store!). I’m actively working to change my relationship to winter from one of trepidation to one of embrace. I know it will take some changing of habits - my coffee table is covered in more clutter than candles right now - but even the smallest gestures to welcome in the magic shift the atmosphere in big ways. Do you have any tips to invite the spirit of hygge?

Yours in coziness,

Megan