Want to learn how to be more Hygge this Christmas Season? Check out this ultimate list below to help you achieve a cozy and very merry hygge Christmas.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, you can check out my disclosures policy here.
Hygge, pronounced (Hoo-Ga) is the Danish way of living and is one of the main reasons Danes are known to be the happiest people on earth. For the longest time, I have always pronounced it wrong and called it “High-guh.” (Don’t worry, you are probably not the only one)!
The Hygge lifestyle is nothing new for Danes but has taken the world by storm over the past several years, especially among Americans.
Back in 2016, Oxford Dictionary announced “Hygge” as Word of The Year and on Instagram, has 5.3 milliion posts under the hashtag #hygge. Now that’s a lot of wooly socks and cozy blanket posts.
So what is the big hype and obsession with hygge? And what does it even mean to be hygge? In a nutshell, it means:
- The art of creating a nice atmosphere
- The pursuit of everyday happiness
- Indulging in simple comforts and pleasures
The word hygge doesn’t have an exact definition but roughly translates to “coziness.” It means relaxation, spending time with the people you love, indulging in yummy cake and hot cocoa and having gratitude for the simple things in life.
This hygge mindset and way of living is part of the DNA of Danish culture and is part of the reason why Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world.
Here’s a fun fact: Did you know that Denmark has the highest consumption of chocolate and the burning of candles per capita than any other country in Europe? Now that’s my kinda country.
According to UN’s World Happiness report, Denmark has consistently ranked at the top for overall happiness. No wonder people are searching for ways to be more hygge!
So why not follow the Danish example and incorporate more hygge into our daily lives?
Last Christmas, I let the stress of the season get to me. Christmas should be a time of relaxation, joy, and cheer. So this year, I want to consciously make an effort to simplify my life and incorporate more hygge this Christmas season.
And if you want to read more on it, check out “The Little Book of Hygge” by Meik Wiking from The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.
10 Ways to Have A Hygge Christmas
The holidays are the perfect time of year to start incorporating hygge into your life. Here are 10 ways I plan on being more hygge with my family this Christmas season:
1. Create Mood Lighting
Hygge is all about lighting candles, twinkling lights and creating a warm ambiance with mood lighting. No wonder Danes are known to burn more candles than any other country in Europe!
I am already obsessed with candles, so this hygge tip is very easy for me. This Christmas I plan to add some lovely scented candles around the house and hang a string of lights in an unexpected place!
Hyyge Candle and Lighting Sources:
2. Simplify Your Christmas Decorations
I am obsessed with Christmas and have to consciously make an effort to not want to buy every. single. Christmas. decoration I see in stores! It’s easy this time of year to overdo it with decor or spend more money than necessary.
Remember, less is more!
Creating a hygge Christmas means simplicity and incorporating natural elements and textures in your home. Think about using tree branches, twine, pinecones, and other evergreen pieces from the outdoors.
It’s really about using your hands and creating natural and simple Christmas decorations rather than purchasing tons of commercialized stuff!
Plus creating homemade decor is a great activity to do with friends and family (quality time with friends is very hygge).
Check out these simple DIY Christmas Hygge Decor ideas:
3. Bake, Bake, Bake
Baking cookies is a family tradition I want to do with my children during Christmas time. Everyone loves to enjoy a yummy baked treat by the fireplace or during Christmas morning while opening presents.
Now that my girls are 3 and 2 year old, they love to “help” me out with baking. Although it does get pretty messy (do not expect baking with toddlers to be clean haha), but it’s about creating those memories with your children and filling our bellies with some yummy goodness.
Here are some great Christmas cookie recipes to check out! The first one I list is “Egg-Free” which is perfect for my daughter who has an egg allergy. We use this recipe all the time and it tastes really good!
Christmas Cookie REcipes
“Egg Free Sugar Cookies” by Very Well Fit 
“Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies” by Swanky Recipes 
“Hot Chocolate Cookies” by Love From The Oven 
“Chocolate Dipped Oreo Snowflakes” by I Heart Naptime 
“Reeses Stuffed Snowballs” by Crazy for Crust 
“Ginger Molasses Cookies” by I Heart Naptime
4. Drink Hot cocoa And Adult Holiday Drinks
Indulging in yummy beverages and sipping on a warm cup of hot chocolate in a soft blanket is totally hygge! I remember as a kid, drinking hot cocoa during Christmas time and loving that warm fuzzy feeling it gave me.
Now as an adult, it’s a warm cup of coffee by the fireplace or a glass of hot buttered rum that gives me the cozy feels. If you want some great holiday drink ideas to share with others during this hygge season, check out this list!
Christmas Holiday Drinks
“Hot Buttered Rum” by The Blonde Cook 
“Best Hot Chocolate” by Fifteen Spatulas 
“Black Walnut and Maple Spiced Cider” by Rin + Ruckus 
“Mulled Wine” by Gimme Some Oven 
“White Christmas Margarita” by 2 Cookin Mamas 
“White Russian Eggnog” by Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons
5. Decorate The Christmas Tree Together
Part of being hygge is creating quality time with the people you love and one way you can do that is through Christmas tree decorating.
One tradition I want to pass on to my kids is going out and buying a Christmas tree together and decorating it as a family while listening to Christmas music and sipping on a warm holiday beverage. Seeing the magic in your children’s eyes while putting up the Christmas tree is so much fun!
Also, if you are looking for some great hygge Christmas decorations to add to your tree, check out this list:
Hygge Christmas Tree Decoration Sources:
6. Eat Dinner Together With No Distractions
As parents, we have been guilty of being on our phones or having a tv show on during dinner with our kids. One thing we can do to create a more hygge atmosphere is to remove distractions during dinner time.
Put your phones down, turn on some relaxing music and light candles and just enjoy each other’s company (easier said than done with toddlers but why not try? Maybe the little ones will like the new ambiance!)
In general, sharing a meal with family is a very hygge thing to do, which surprisingly many families do not always do. Saying a prayer or blessing before the meal and enjoying conversation and connecting with one another is so important and special, especially during this time of year.
7. Play Christmas Music
Okay, I am not going to lie….I have been listening to Christmas music since summer!
But before you judge me, have you heard the saying, “people who listen to Christmas music are happier people?” Research has shown that people who listen to upbeat happy music tend to feel happier and can have a positive impact on a person both physically and psychologically.
And Christmas songs, in particular, can bring feelings of nostalgia and joy from childhood memories associated with those songs. So go get your hygge Christmas on and blast Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” or Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”
8. Enjoy Nature
Part of being hygge is embracing the outdoors and enjoying the beauty nature has to offer. So if you live in a place that snows, go outside and build a snowman or go sledding with the kids!
Or if you live in a warmer area, grab a cup of coffee and go on a morning walk or check out the local ice skating rink to bring that feeling of a wintery Christmas alive.
9. Watch Christmas Movies
Home Alone, It’s A Wonderful Life, Elf, The Grinch….just typing out the movies gets me excited for Christmas!
There is nothing better than curling up on the couch and watching classic Christmas movies! You can’t help but get excited about the season and it’s a great way to share quality time together with loved ones.
10. Focus On The Meaning Of The Season With An Advent Wreath and Calendar
The long Christmas lists, shopping in crowded places, the parties, battling traffic and just the pressure to do so much stuff in a short amount of time…can make anyone turn into a scrooge…bah hum bug!
Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time of year but this season can also drive a lot of people mad. So to stay hygge and joyful, it’s important to remember the reason for the season, which is the birth of our savior Jesus.
My family is Catholic and one Christian tradition we do to keep us focused on the meaning of Christmas is to light our Advent candle wreath and hang our Advent calendar.
The wreath has four candles that represent hope, peace, joy and love.
We gradually light each candle with a prayer (one each Sunday leading up to Christmas), to help symbolize the coming of Jesus who is the light of the world. And with the advent calendar, we open a little treat each day leading up to Jesus’s birth (super fun for the kids!)
If you are looking to add an Advent candle wreath or calendar to your home, check out these cute options. You can even be super hygge and make them yourself with simple natural elements!
Advent Candle Wreaths and Calendars
Hygge Christmas DEcoration Sources
If you are looking to add more Scandi or Nordic style Christmas decor to your home this year, I found a few sources to help you out! Remember, hygge is all about natural textures and neutral tones.
Have A Merry Hygge Christmas
I hope you were able to learn more ways to have a more hygge Christmas and that this list has inspired you! I am excited to celebrate a relaxing and hygge filled Christmas this year with my family and I hope you do too.
