My own version of the Danish concept of “Hygge”
I guess you could say that our tree was always leaning, because our 18 year old son was under-instructed just where to chop off the bottom portion, and he was maybe a bit hasty. Instead of chopping the lower branches with a not-a-long enough trunk section to accommodate the stand, I pioneered a jimmy-rigged block idea that I roped hubby into accommodating. I preferred a little “lean” and a full tree, to a straight tree with trunk that’s had the bottom half of the tree pillaged, is now a bare, un-Christmas tree shape and an eye sore for the season. Its like a middle aged man getting a haircut, there really isn’t a lot of branches to spare on a mountain cut tree.
But at the end of the season, our tree was seriously leaning. I usually “Let Christmas linger”, and kids and hubby all told me I was packing up too soon, but one week after New Year’s, I was getting a serious “Leaning” hint from the Christmas tree.
“And down shall come Christmas tree, ornaments and all.”
What’s your style? Do you like to linger a little longer with the season, or get those fake or real pine needles swept up, soon as possible? Maybe you get your tree finally up late, so it’s ridiculous to take down after New Year’s? Or maybe it’s been up since Thanksgiving so all are ready to move on?
I remember my mom always wishing the lights of Christmas would stay up through a cold winter. Sentimental can be passed down. So I myself lean to lingering a little longer to Christmas and am nostalgic enough that I have actually cried before, taking the magic down.
Maybe you can let go completely of Christmas! But in keeping with my mom’s sentiment of twinkling lights cheering the darkness, you might love the concept of “hygge.”
“Hygge?” you may ask. Or maybe you are in the know, and if you are, you know that this word is pronounced something like ‘hooga’. I was tickled when I learned about this magical word. My sister visited Holland and took home a wonderful memoir and concept within its pages, The little book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. She taught me about the concept of ‘hygge’ and it is all about finding those ways that add warmth, twinkle, spark, joy, coziness, a sense of belonging and home, to our homes. I really enjoyed then listening to Meik’s voice on audible with his wonderful accent. And I bet just as enjoyable, cozying up in a nook to read his little book, on all things cozy.
Its truly a beautiful word, and much more complex than ambience, the ambience is only the beginning of the relationships that are nurtured in that thoughtfully beautifully prepared space, described well at Denmark.dk
My version of ‘hygge’, is letting Christmas linger or atleast taper to Winter with a touch of bright!
Years ago, when it was too hard to take down the tree for me, I left the getting old, admittedly dying/dead Christmas tree up and changed it into a “winter tree”, switching out to just blue ornaments. Or rather taking down all red and green and leaving the few blue up!
Last year, I asked my neighbors if anyone was getting rid of their fake tree, post Christmas. I have a generous friend, who was. This tree was beautiful in our front entry this year, and the bottom section comes off, so we can use it for a our winter tree and let the old chopped tree, become firewood.
It’s only begun to be decorated here, but thank you, thank you, generous dear Shannon!!
We had a great time decorating it, and what a festive grand spirit it brought our home. I’ll snap a photo of when it’s all decorated next year!!
Here it is, serving as a “Winter tree”! Just begun being decorated by the boys.
Adding a little this or that from garage sales thrift stores, or splurging after Christmas on sale items with more-wintery-looking festive decor from department stores,
I add a little to a Wintery Wonderland Repertoire year by year.
This year, I’ve left up some wreaths and left the red highlight garland on the mantle to match the red in the wreath highlights.
Last year, my fun January project was cutting up some old sweaters in winter blues and olive greens and transforming them into sock style elfish stockings, to replace what used to be hanging mittens that were sacrificed for the sake of decoration.
Are you anticipating the New Year? Especially if you are somewhere chilly, I hope you get to find ways to create your own version of ‘hygge’. Maybe that’s cozying into your sweats, what have you- hygge-ly style.
(See video below, to further comprehend and pronounce this case of the word spelled hyggelig)
Certainly relaxing with loved ones or melting into books/ gentle projects, enjoying the stillness like the animals who sleep/wake hibernate. I just learned that many animals don’t hit the sack for the whole season but get up for walks etc, especially if it warms a little. And with a few twinkles, I wish you….