As temperatures start to drop and the days grow shorter, there is no better time to embrace hygge, the Danish philosophy of cozy living. When darkness descends, we find ourselves longing to find a place of warmth inside where we can get away from our daily stress and reset. Sometimes we aren’t necessarily set up for this, especially after the business of the summer months have left our home in disarray. So here’s some of our favorite ways to reset and embrace hygge at home this fall and winter (obviously with plants).

The Roots of Hygge

The Danes have been practicing hygge for years, which perfectly explains why Denmark is ranked the happiest country in the world. Pronounced “hoo-guh,” the word is said to have no direct translation in English, though “cozy” comes close. It derives from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, hugga, meaning “to comfort” or “to console”. This concept of Scandinavian coziness has been recently discovered and now practiced internationally. Danes embrace the happiness that comes from loving even the little things in life, something often overlooked in American culture. From soft glows of warm scented candles, to wool blankets, shearling slippers, sweet pastries, sheepskin rugs, oak milk lattes, warm fireplaces, meaningful trinkets, flourishing plants, a good book, or a special someone - Hygge covers all of the bases.

Bring the Hygge Inside

One of the most amazing things about hygge is just how easy it is to incorporate into your life. Although hygge can be embraced anywhere you are, a nice place to start is the place you come home to after a long day. The little details are key. You'll want to take a good look at your home from top to bottom. Careful consideration of everything inside is imperative. It should all work in harmony.

Add Soft Mood Lighting

Bring in lamps that give off soft lighting that illuminates a cozy vibe. Warm colored light bulbs, string lights, and even a series of candles in varied shapes and sizes give off the most comforting hue. Bring in candles that smell relaxing, remind you of happy memories, or just smell nice to you - these scents are only for you to enjoy.

Cozy Up With Natural Materials

Hygge is also about loving the natural world. Nuetral materials are an integral part of any plan to bring in hygge with different shades and textures of whites and creams. Cozy blankets made from fabrics that draw on the beauty all around us even in the middle of the cold weather are a great start. A fuzzy blanket, a woven quilt, or a thick blanket made from filled with down is the ideal way to fight off the cold and bring warmth from your head to your toes.

Drink Warm Beverages

Once you’re warm on the outside, you can start cozying up on the insides with a warm herbal tea, hot chocolate, oat milk latte, hot toddy, cider, or spiced mulled wine. Make a warm drink from your childhood or a new one that makes you feel warm and tingly inside.

Dress Cozy

You’re not dressing to impress with hygge. Make sure you cozy up and dress down with soft fabrics, loose-fitting clothing, and fuzzy socks or slippers. If your room is a tad chilly, crank up your heater, light a fire, warm up your oven and bake cookies, or layer on the thick blankets.

Indulge in Comfort Food

Hygge-type food encourages you to indulge in slow cooked foods that provide comfort and rich flavor. Roasts, stews, porridges, and of course an abundance of sweets like danishes, cookies, pies, and cakes can make your home smell hygge and taste like it too.

Embrace Nature

Indoor plants are the best natural element to bring inside during the colder months. Plants of all kinds can be brought indoors to create an indoor garden, or you can plug in your ēdn SmallGarden and effortlessly grow all winter long. The garden's built-in LED lights also come equipped with an "ambiance mode" to set the mood around your plants. Some of our favorite houseplants to tie in the cozy look are the snake plant, monstera, fiddle leaf fig, succulents, and cacti. Make sure each plant works with the whole feel that you have in mind for your hygge space. Indoor plants also have many benefits that will make any room extremely inviting, improve the air quality, and even reduce your stress levels.

Most Importantly: Slow. It. Down.

Slowing down is at the very heart of any hygge plan. You should be ready to take the time to savor a delicious beverage in front of the fire, put on those long thick socks as you read a book or snuggle up with someone you love. The key is to think about relaxing and letting the season flow over you to help you find peace. Place a few of your plants on top of the mantle. Take a favorite book down from the shelves and watch the snow slowly frost up your windows. Let the cozy and comfortable space that you created embrace hygge for yourself or share it with others that light up your life.

For more information about how you can bring more life indoors this winter, learn more about the ēdn SmallGarden here > https://www.edntech.com/pages/smallgarden