As you all know, I'm a transplant from Bombay, India, where we have two seasons: hot, and the monsoon. The temperature never really drops below 75F, so there's really no reason to have a winter coat. One of my first purchases when I moved to Ohio was a big puffy down parka - it was a great investment. And while I figured out how to stay warm, I struggled with the temperatures being so cold for so long and struggled even more with the grey days that seemingly stretched on for weeks on end. While I've adapted better over the past 15+ years, I struggle with winter post-holidays - sometimes it feels endless! And even more endless in a year when we can’t see each other or go places freely.

I have no plans to leave the northern part of the country any time soon (go North coast!!) so I decided it was time to change my outlook on winter and turned to the happiest country in the world - Denmark, for help. Now Denmark is colder, grayer, and wetter for way longer, and yet, they consistently identify as the happiest people on earth. They have some social and political constructs that contribute to this, but I decided to hone in on their concept of hygge (pronounced hue-guh) - the feeling of coziness and specialness.

I started my research with The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living written by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen (talk about the right credentials).

The book is an excellent read, especially for anyone who needs to re-frame their relationship with winter.

And while the book has many excellent tips, I've focused on my top 5 tips here:

1. Candles: Did you know that Denmark has the highest per-capita consumption of candles that any other country in the world. The Danes are obsessed with light, and the concept of bright, artificial lights is abhorrent to most Danes. The soft glow of candles is a lot more hygge, adding to the warmth and coziness of any room. This is the easiest way to add hygge and one that I have adopted with full gusto. The Danes recommend unscented candles, which I buy in bulk at IKEA. I also like to have at least one or two scented candles going, and some of my favorites are 1820 House, L’or de Seraphine, Marie Hunter Beauty, and so many more.

As an aside, I also strongly recommend getting a light therapy lamp to help with the general lack of sunshine in some parts of the country.

A few different elements to bring more hygge to your life - scroll to the bottom of this post for even more hygge ideas!

2. Fireplaces: Real is better (we are lucky to have a real, gas-powered fireplace) but if you don't have a real one, you could invest in a faux fireplace heater which will give you a similar effect of both light and warmth.

3. Cozy blankets: These are frankly a must-have, both to keep your heating bill down, but also because they are incredibly hygge, especially if we're talking about a plush faux fur blanket or even better, a hand-knit blanket! I also highly recommend weighted blankets - we have one and it’s so comforting to wrap yourself in it in the winter!

4. Plants: Over the past year, I've added about 7 plants to our home, and I can honestly say that they add a lot of coziness to our space. You can buy any plant, but I've favored easy plants that don't require a lot of TLC. You can buy houseplants anywhere, but I strongly recommend stopping at a local nursery versus buying them at a big-box home store like Home Depot. You will receive better advice, and frankly, your plants will last a lot longer. My favorite local spots in Cleveland are Lakewood Plant Company and Urban Planting.

Snake plant from Lakewood Plant company, planter from Amazon - the planter is available in a few sizes, click on the hyperlink to see them all!

5. Invite friends and family over for dinner: Is there anything cozier than a night in with people you love? In non-pandemic years, Nick and I typically host a couple of dinner parties for friends. But since 2020 has dashed those plans, you could plan for a zoom dinner party - you can order from the same restaurant, or attend a virtual cooking class together, or even cook from the same cookbook together (but apart, obviously). If you’re looking for cookbook ideas, here are some of my favorites!

Bonus: This winter, more than any other, get outside in nature as much as you can. If you live close to a hiking trail or public park, take advantage of it. And if you’re in the middle of a city, even a walk around city streets can help, to the extent you can do it safely. Being outside really makes a difference. Bundle up!!

What are you doing to cope this winter?

This post was originally published in November 2017 and updated in December 2020.