The Holidays Offline: Part Two 🎄
Two Free Gifts and One Wish For Year-Round Coziness
I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Hygge, but if you haven’t, I’m happy to introduce you. This is something I learned about long before it was a trend, and it extends beyond Christmas or New Years… so it’s perfect for you whether you celebrate holidays around this time of year or not.
This isn’t going to be a deep dive into Hygge because it’s Christmas Eve and I’m guessing you have better things to do than read a lengthy exposition on anything right now.
Where we live, winter brings long stretches of darkness and cold. This makes it difficult to get out and do a lot of the things we love in better weather. Getting through December is easy because there’s such a flurry of joy and activities.
But beginning in January the festivities stop. Everything warm and bright is packed away. All the coziness and light is organized into boxes, and the starkness of winter infiltrates our homes. It’s all very clean and organized. Orderly. Sterile. Even January décor is usually cool-toned.
In adulthood, this was always my January experience. Then my oldest son was born in January, and I began to look at it differently. It was a special month and one I wanted to make even more special for him. This led me in search of creating coziness and warmth in our lives through all the dark months, and hanging onto the warmth and glow of Christmas, even after it’s done (without being those insane people — you know who you are — keeping their trees up year-round).
In my sleuthing is where I came across the word Hygge. Hygge is basically the practice of enjoying the simple things, and the feeling of contentment and coziness that comes from it. Hygge really ties in a lot of goals we’ve had in Know Curtains. Goals to find more life and joy offline than on. More connection time with family and friends. More time connecting with ourselves, and doing more than wasting away, time slipping by, as we scroll everyone else’s “perfect” lives.
Hygge is special time with family and friends and creating warmth. You might not do Christmas or Hanukkah, but you can still hang wintery garlands with white lights and dried oranges on it. Have candles burning. Create warm smells of mulled cider, and woodburning fireplaces. Have friends over for warm drinks, or dinner. Invite family for a special meal or game night. Make a nice drink at home and take it on a walk with friends.
It’s the practice of seeing and savoring. Enjoying the small things. It might be cold around you, Hygge seems to say, but inside you are warm and glowing.
And keep in mind, Hygge isn’t just for the dark winter months but can be incorporated all year.
Before I sign off, what would Christmas Eve be without a gift?
A 2025 printable calendar Matt designed with a less traditional format, which also includes a to-do list (how convenient, right?).
Our Five Step Screen Time and Safety Guide from Driver’s Training for Social Media.
If you find them useful, feel free to click on the links above and download them FOR FREE for the coming New Year — to begin the changes you want to see in your life, and to help you continue the good habits you’ve already established.
Remember, be kind to yourself and others. Do all you can to make the world around you the one you want to exist in.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!