Life
13 Ways To Make Your Home As Hygge As Possible If You’re Snowed In This Week
In case a parent in full panic mode hasn't already called to inform you, there's a possibility that your apartment will be avalanched in at some point in the next few days. As the northeastern United States braces for the first major storm of 2018 — that didn't take long, did it? — I assume you're in the market for ways to hygge up your home if you end up snowed in this week. In the so-called calm before the storm, there are bread and milk sandwiches to prepare, carbon monoxide detectors to buy, and appointments to cancel. If you're lucky, though, once the snow begins to fall, you'll have an excuse to laze around indoors for the day with nothing to do but drink hot chocolate and treat yo' self.
Sounds supremely cozy, right? That's the idea behind "hygge," a Danish word that describes a feeling of contentment, warmth, and relaxation. It has been part of Danish culture for centuries, but recently, it has caught on across the pond. As Visit Denmark explains, though, it's more of a concept than a single experience.
"[Hygge] means creating a warm atmosphere. It is enjoying the good things in life with good people. The warm amber glow of candlelight is hygge. Stomping through woods, wrapped up warm on a fresh Autumn day before returing to a fireside for hot cocoa is definitely hygge. Friends and family – that’s hygge too."
Given how dark and cold winters in Denmark can get, it's safe to say they know how to deal with snow days properly. Here are 13 ways to get your hygge on if you end up snowed in during the impending winter storm.
1Stock Up On Hot Chocolate
Whether you go for the microwaveable packets or prefer to make hot chocolate from scratch, no snow day would be complete without sipping on something to warm you up from the inside out. Stock up on the ingredients before the storm hits.
2Change Your Sheets
Yes, it's tempting to just roll around in bed all day. But before you do that, change your sheets so you're surrounded by the feel and smell of fresh laundry.
4Make Mulled Wine
It's a snow day. Unless you're being forced to work from home, you don't have to do anything. Why not add some hot spiced wine to your routine? Make a pot of mulled wine, also known as glogg, and enjoy it by the fire (or space heater) — just don't drink it all at once, despite how delicious it may be.
5Put A Blanket In The Dryer
If you own a heated blanket, wrap up in that and chill out on the couch. Otherwise, you can evoke the same feeling by putting a blanket in the dryer for a few minutes to warm it up. Add a dryer sheet to make it smell nice, too.
6Light Scented Candles
On top of creating a cozy glow, scented candles make your room smell amazing. It's a no-brainer.
7Make Potpourri
Speaking of making your home smell inviting, grab the ingredients to make homemade potpourri while you're stuck inside.
8Invite Friends Over
The New Yorker once wrote that while it can be enjoyed alone, "the true expression of hygge is joining with loved ones in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere." Relationships are an integral part of hygge, so invite a handful of your family or friends over to enjoy the snow day with you.
9Make Your Favorite Comfort Food
What foods make you the happiest? Whether it's macaroni and cheese or chicken soup, treat yourself to the foods that make you the warmest inside (literally and metaphorically).
10Put On Fresh Pajamas
What's the point of putting on real clothes when you can stay in your comfy pajamas all day?
11Light A Fire
The crackling warmth of a fire is one of the most recognizable parts of hygge. If you can't light a fire, turn on a space heater and one of those videos of a fireplace you can find online. The atmosphere is the important part.
12Draw The Curtains
Curtains block light and cold, making your room into a warm, dark cave. Good luck staying awake with the curtains drawn.
13Make A Blanket Fort
Snow days hearken back to childhood anyway, so why not grab your softest pillows and make a pillow fort? Stock it with books and blankets, invite your favorite person to come inside, and spend the day enjoying the things that make life happy and warm. That's about as hygge as you can get.
