Tag Archives: hygge

14 Ways to Hygge Your Thanksgiving

Last week we talked about how to embrace the Danish lifestyle of hygge.  Are you a convert yet?  If not, today’s post might do you in!

how-to-hygge-thanksgiving

Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are basically hygge by nature.  Comforting food, spending time with family and friends…all the things you probably love about Thanksgiving and Christmas are the very definition of hygge.

If you’re looking for creative and easy ways to bring hygge into your home this Thanksgiving, you don’t have to try very hard.  These 14 clever and rustic ideas are great for giving your home a comforting, warm, hygge feel that will make guests all the more thankful!

14 Ways to Hygge Your Thanksgiving

DIY Leaf Bowl

bowl

Printable Napkin Holder

napkin rings

Fabric Pumpkins

fabric pumpkins

Gold Painted Pumpkins

painted pumpkins

Heart-Stamped Leaves

leaf hearts

Copper Striped Candles

copper candles

Knit Coaster

knit coasters

Stuffed Fabric Pumpkins

hat pumpkins

Gold Dipped Candles

gold dipped candle

Leaf Place Holders

placecards

Gourd Candles

votives

Gratitude Sphere

thankful globe

Knit Leaves

knit leaves

Felt Garland

felt garland

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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Hygge Week:  The Little Book of Hygge Book Review

There’s a reason Denmark has been named one of the happiest countries in the world.  Despite the cold harsh winds and the snowfall and the dark stormy winters, Denmark remains #2 on the list of the happiest countries (for comparison, the US is placed at number 14).  Put simply, the reason the Danes remain so content is that they are one of the only countries to fully and completely embrace the hygge lifestyle.

As we’ve been talking about all week, hygge is all about being comfortable.  It’s the art of creating intimacy and taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things, such as big comfy blankets, candles, hot drinks, warm socks, and delicious food.  Hygge cannot really be explained…it’s there to be felt.  It’s cuddling up on the sofa with a loved one or sharing a rich pot of stew with your closest friends.  It’s staying in your bed on a Sunday afternoon or listening to the fire crackle as you read your favorite novel.

While you don’t need a book to tell you how to feel comfortable, it certainly can’t hurt!  Filled with great advice on how to turn your living space into a cozy, intimate wonderland, The Little Book of Hygge is your ultimate guide into embracing hygge.  It was the “Bible” my husband and I used to make our home more hygge, and we find ourselves coming back to it again and again for more ideas, recipes, and party suggestions.

the-little-book-of-hygge-1

Written by Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, this book is best read alongside a cup of hot tea and a piece of cake (or two!).  Meik has spent years studying the hygge lifestyle, and his research has found that hygge really is the magic ingredient that makes the Danes one of the happiest nations in the world.

As we’ve discussed this week, this book was the fuel that encouraged us to embrace the hygge lifestyle and I’m telling you…THIS WORKS.  You can read all the self-help books you want…watch all the shows and read all those quotes on Pinterest…but just the simple act of making your life more meaningful, spending time with the people you actually like, eating foods that are delicious and sensual, and filling your home with soft candlelight, warm blankets, and comfy furniture…this is the secret.  Rather than buying a lamp, try some candles.  Instead of buying wall art from World Market, try making something yourself using natural items.  Rather than buy a blanket from Walmart, knit or crochet one yourself!

It’s not hard to make your home a happy place.  Some simple changes can not only improve your dwelling, but can maybe even improve your overall happiness.  So get those winter socks out of storage…wrap yourself up in a cozy blanket and turn off that freaking phone.  Make some rich hot cocoa or some tasty spiced cider and give yourself over to the magical world of hygge.

Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.

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Hygge Week: How to Hygge in 10 Simple Steps

Happy Hygge Week!

For those just joining us, we’ve been embracing hygge (Hoo-gah) all week this week, and today, I’m going to help give you the basic steps you need to bring the hygge lifestyle into your home.

As I’ve said before, hygge is not something to define, it’s something to be felt…so any number of things could really contribute to a space feeling “hygge”.  A cozy fire on a rainy afternoon – very hygge.  A stew cooking on the stove as you read a mystery thriller under the covers – very hygge.  Hosting a game night with wine and cake – very hygge.  Stressing over tomorrow’s meeting while texting your friends and ordering nasty food on GrubHub – not so hygge.  Make sense?  Hygge is about setting an atmosphere for comfort and relaxation.

So here are a few things you need for a proper “hygge” night.  And feel free to improvise here.  Don’t have candles or a fireplace?  Dim the lights or use soft lighting to help set the mood.  Don’t like knitting?  Scrapbook or read…whatever helps you to turn your mind off and relax.

How to Hygge in 10 Simple Steps

Image result for hygge illustrations

  1. Light candles
  2. Get cozy with a big blanket or homemade scarf
  3. Cultivate closeness with the people you love
  4. Be present (turn off your phones and the TV)
  5. Eat cake
  6. Learn to knit
  7. Read or write
  8. Drink something warm
  9. Invest in cozy wool socks
  10. Bring the outdoors in with houseplants

Want to learn more about how to embrace the hygge lifestyle?  Stay tuned tomorrow to learn more about how my husband and I converted and how we’re never, EVER going back.

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.

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Hygge Week: Woven Felt Heart

You may have made these in middle school or girl scouts, or maybe you saw them hanging on your grandma’s Christmas tree every year.  Often made with red and white paper, these woven hearts are traditional in Scandinavian households…and are almost always found in hygge rooms, especially around Christmas.

woven heart

There are countless ways to cut and design your paper hearts, but for today’s project, we’re going to go with the classic woven heart.  I also decided to use felt instead of paper since that’s what I had on hand, but either will work!

woven heart 2

You can use this little heart “basket” to hold goodies for Christmas or Valentine’s Day, or fill them with potpourri and hang them around your home.  You can use red and white, which is traditional for these woven hearts, or mix and match your favorite colors to add this cozy festive touch to your décor!

Woven Felt Heart

Materials:

  • Two pieces of different colored paper or felt (bigger pieces of paper equal bigger hearts)
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. Fold each piece of felt in half hamburger style.
  2. Cut the folded felt in half.  You’ll only need one half of each color.
    woven-hearts-1
    woven-hearts2
  3. On the unfolded side, cut to round the tops.  This will become the top of the heart.  I cut both of mine at the same time so they were the same.  If you want to use a pattern, you can find one to your liking online.
    woven-hearts3
  4. On the folded side, cut your strips for weaving.  Four strips should be enough for beginners.  Don’t cut all the way through, just about an inch from the top.
    woven-hearts4
  5. The weaving can get confusing, so rather than explain it with words here, I suggest checking out this YouTube video to see it in person:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jur29ViLEhk
  6. Continue weaving until your heart is complete.  Once done, open your heart to reveal the pocket!  Add a handle if you want and fill it with whatever you like!
    pocket
  7. I made another heart with the remaining two halves of felt, this time cutting 6 strips on each side.
    heart pocket2

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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Hygge Week: Happiness

hygge-quote
“Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day than in great pieces of good fortune that happen, but seldom.”
The Little Book of Hygge

Come back every Tuesday for “The Bees Knees”, where I post the best quotes from my favorite movies, TV shows, songs, and books.

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Hygge Week: Danish Curried Meatballs

Happy Hygge Week!

It’s time to get cozy…time to forget about the fact that it’s Monday and to just find your happy place.  It’s time to dig out your woolen socks, wrap yourself in that thick-knit blanket you bought on Etsy when those were a thing, and sip a hot cup of tea, coffee, milk chocolate or cider as you read or listen to your favorite jazz record.  It’s time to hygge.

I first heard about hygge on NPR when the author of The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking, was interviewed after the word “hygge” was named the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2016.  He spent about 10 minutes trying to explain how to say “hygge” (it’s pronounced HOO-gah), then went into explaining the idea behind this Danish lifestyle.

Roughly translated to mean “cozy”, hygge is a lifestyle concept.  It’s about making your atmosphere cozy, about building in elements of togetherness, savoring simple pleasures, and encouraging yourself to embrace relaxation.

Think about the ultimate cozy afternoon…a storm brewing outside…a big blanket on your feet…a fire raging while you read your favorite murder mystery book…this is all hygge…and it’s amazing.

After hearing about hygge on NPR, I stored it away in my brain and meant to come back to it, but honestly totally and completely forgot about it…that is until one of my dear friends suggested I read this book called, The Little Book of Hygge and write about it on The Hobbee Hive…and here we are!  Thanks, Bridget!! ❤

My husband read The Little Book of Hygge first and was instantly hooked.  I read it after him and also fell in love with this lifestyle.  We immediately began incorporating hygge into our life…being more present at home, cooking delicious meals together while listening to jazz music, even removing the TV from our living room to encourage more discussion and togetherness with friends and family.

Hygge has become such an important part of our lives that I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you!  I wanted to wait until the fall/winter to make it easier to embrace hygge, as it is harder (but not impossible) to be hygge in the warmer months.

And there’s no better way to experience a full hygge experience than with a rich, delicious, stick-to-your-ribs comfort meal!

curried-meatballs

Pulled right from The Little Book of Hygge, this meatballs recipe is so delicious and will make your home smell AMAZING.  Turn on some Sarah Vaughn and let yourself embrace the night with this tasty and comforting hygge recipe!

Danish Curried Meatballs

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup breadcrumbs or 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 finely chopped onions
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4½ lbs. ground pork
  • 4 cups beef stock

For Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 heaping tablespoons mild yellow curry powder
  • 1 large chopped onion
  • 1 large chopped leek
  • 5 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Place the breadcrumbs or flour with the egg, onions, garlic, salt and pepper in a big bowl and mix well. Add the pork, mix it again and leave in the fridge for one hour.

Using a spoon, form the mixture into the meatballs. Boil a pan of water, add the beef stock and the meatballs and let it simmer for five to ten minutes (depending on the size of the meatballs). Remove the meatballs from the liquid, but retain it.

Melt the butter in a pot, add the curry powder and let it brown for a couple of minutes.

Add the chopped onion and leek and let them, too, brown for a couple of minutes. Add flour, and mix well. Then add some of the cooking liquid, little by little, stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the cream and the meatballs and simmer for about 12 minutes.

meatballs1

Garnish with parsley and serve with rice, noodles, or garlic mashed potatoes, like I did!

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips. 

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