Is it just me, or does it feel like we've already been dealing with winter for several years, even though we're barely halfway through the season? Maybe it's because our winters have become so unbearably cold that we now need to come up with phrases like "bomb cyclone" to properly describe them. Regardless, it seems like everyone could start their 2018 off right by creating, and sticking to, a little thing called a hygge bucket list.
If you don't already know, hygge is a Danish term that loosely translates to mean "cozy," but it's bigger than a single word. It's a lifestyle mantra focused on amplifying feelings of contentment and warmth, and it's one of many reasons why the Danish are consistently rated as some of the happiest people on Earth.
Incorporating hygge activities into your life is super easy, because there are so many varied options. Hygge itself is a loose concept; it can be whatever you want it to be, whatever puts you at ease, whatever relaxes you, or whatever makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
This winter, despite whatever type of apocalyptic storm we might deal with next, creating and sticking to a hygge bucket list is a surefire way to keep you warm, even when the degrees go negative outside (ugh). Here are nine amazingly cozy hygge activities to scratch off your list before we hit the sunny spring season.
Knitting has a soothing, rhythmic quality to it, and once you know how to do a few types of stitches, you can make just about anything.
Taking up knitting is a great way to relax while being productive. You can even knit while you're reading, or catching up on your favorite Netflix show.
Take a day next weekend to support your local bookstore, and pick out a good book or two.
Instead of leaving immediately, consider pulling up a chair and reading your book in the store, while you're surrounded by millions of other pages and countless other book-lovers.
Comfort food is a treat in any form, but there's something especially satisfying about creating comfort food from scratch. Homemade chicken noodle soup is actually much easier to make than you might think. All you really need are some veggies, a full chicken, and a whole mess of herbs, and pretty soon, the aroma of your childhood will fill your entire apartment.
Try this chicken noodle soup recipe from Taste of Home for the perfect winter batch.
You don't have to be alone to embrace hygge. Since hygge is more of a feeling rather than a specific activity, it's all about what makes you feel good and cozy inside.
If a girls' night in is what you need to decompress, consider inviting your pals over for an epic sleepover that your childhood self would have reveled at.
It doesn't matter if it's at an actual spa, or even just in your living room with the blinds shut. Block off an afternoon for some good old-fashioned self-care, slap a face mask on — and maybe a cucumber slice or two — and try to unwind without any distractions (yes, TURN YOUR PHONE OFF).
Another fun homemade recipe is hot chocolate, and I swear, once you see how hot chocolate is really supposed to taste, you'll never go back to store-bought brands again.
Try this hot cocoa recipe from Bon Appétit to amp up your cozy hygge game ASAP.
Have a series you've been desperate to catch up on? There's no better time than when you're in the thick of the frigid winter months. Press play on the pilot episode, and don't move until the season is over — besides, obviously, a quick run to pay the delivery guy.
Hygge is all about finding warmth in everyday life, so instead of sprinting to get a boxed salad during your lunch break every day, consider trying to get coffee with people a few times a week. It'll make your lunch break more interesting, and it'll allow you time to connect with people you usually don't get to see that often.
Whether it's new or old, a book series is the perfect way to escape from the cold winter for a few moments at a time.
You can make a tradition of it (Harry Potter every Christmas or bust), or you can try something new and dive headfirst into it. Tell your friends you'll call them back in a month or two.
