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It’s that time again. Mid-January. The holidays are over, but it’s still winter for what seems like forever. I think this may be the longest month of the year. This January in particular seems to be dragging because we’re all so sick of being stuck at home. Last year I heard the word “hygge” (pronounced “hyoogah”) for the first time, and once I learned the definition, I understood why the Danish concept was quickly gaining popularity. This book, by Meik Wiking, the CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, explains it beautifully, and is a very quick and cheerful read. Essentially, hygge is the idea of warmth, coziness, slow living, and enjoying the little things in life. Denmark is very dark for most of the year, and so it’s fascinating that the Danes are some of the happiest people on earth. During a mostly dark, gloomy, and gray month (let’s be honest, February isn’t much better, but at least it has Valentine’s day in the middle), I thought it would be nice to really lean into enjoying the coziness and really ramp up the hygge factor in our home.

I’ve put together a list of small things that give me joy every day, and I hope you’ll enjoy them as well!

1. Faux fur blanket – I have the mocha 60×80 and it’s SO soft and cozy for movie nights on the couch
2. Cozy slippers – my mother-in-law bought me these a couple years ago when we were in Minnesota and I love them. They have hard bottoms so I can run out to grab the mail, and the insides are super soft.
3. Neato Robot Vacuum – You know what’s NOT hygge? Dog hair. You know what is? Clean floors without you having to sweep.
4. A good mystery novel – I loved this one. It had been years since I stayed up reading until the wee hours of the morning, but this book made me do just that!
5. Blue light glasses – I wear mine all the time, and they really help with both winding down before bed and avoiding straining my eyes during the work day. 
6. Hatch Restore Sleep Machine – Jonny and I both LOVE our Hatch. It has sleep meditations, bedtime stories, meditative music, and wakes you up gradually with light to mimic the sunrise. It does all this and more, and you can create your own routine that will automatically start at a certain time. We both sleep so well with it that we’ve thought about packing it along when we travel.
7. The world’s softest leggings – These are my favorite leggings I’ve tried so far. They’re super flattering, high waisted, and buttery soft, and they have pockets! I’m 5’9″ and usually wear a size 4/6, and I bought the Small Long, which fit the length of my legs much better than other full length or long leggings I’ve tried. My one complaint with these is that they don’t have the most inclusive size run.
8. A beautiful tea kettle – I drink a lot of tea, and just wasn’t loving the old stainless kettle we had from Jonny’s college days. My mom got this one for me for Christmas, and I LOVE it. It doesn’t have a piercing whistle, either–it’s a harmonica reed so it plays a low chord.
9. Milk frother – I use this every day for lattes and cappuccinos and it’s a game changer. It works great with non dairy milks, and it can do hot or cold drinks, as well as hot chocolate.
10. A cute and happy mug – for your coffee and tea. Warm drinks are the epitome of coziness.
11. Cozy velvet bedding – I have these velvet tack stitch euro shams in golden oak on my bed, and they add so much warmth and texture.
12. A big blanket basket – what could be cozier than a basket full of blankets ready for curling up with a book or making blanket forts?
13. Super soft pajamas – It’s always fun to find something you LOVE that also happens to be inexpensive–these are super soft, don’t wrinkle, and have quickly become my favorite pajamas I own.
14. A cozy candle – adding a little glow to a gloomy time of the year.
15. My favorite tea – High Garden Tea is a local Nashville business, and even though their brick and mortar location was destroyed during the March 2020 tornado, you can still support them by shopping online. Roots Beer and Lavender with Love are my two all-time favorites.
16. Game changing hair ties – Once you try these, you’ll never go back. I use their thick hair bands during the day, and their silk scrunchies at night. They’re gentler on your hair, don’t pull or pinch, stay put, and when they stretch out you can just throw them in with your laundry and they’ll come out good as new. They’ve got ties for thick, thin, and long hair, and everyone I know who’s tried them loves them.

I hope these things make your gloomy winter a little cozier and brighter!

♥

Grace