Getting Cozy for Winter

As days get shorter and nights get longer, many of us will spend more time at home to escape the growing darkness and chill of autumn as it transitions into winter.  How can we make our time at home more comfortable and relaxing?  Make hygge like the Danes do!  

Hygge (pronounced "HOO-guh") is the Danish word for the state of comfort, peace, and coziness. The library has so many resources to help you make your home a cozy one. Here are just a few.

For the essential guide to hygge, check out The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Weiking (Overdrive and Print). Wiking describes the state of hygge in detail and tells us how the Danes (who are among the happiest people in the world) achieve it.  From keeping a neat and comfortable home, to spending time with friends and family, to baking cookies and cakes, The Little Book of Hygge highlights many ways to foster a sense of peace, harmony, and gratitude in our everyday lives.

Arranging your home for comfort is helpful for achieving hygge.  Pleasant surroundings that work for your lifestyle can give your body ease and allow your mind to relax without distractions. The Meghan Method: a Step-by-Step Guide to Decorating Your Home in Your Style by Meghan Carter (Print) provides a template for decorating your home in a way that works for your needs and your budget.  Home Decorating for Dummies by Katharine Kay McMillan and Patricia Hart McMillan (Overdrive) is another great basic resource if you want to feather your nest but you don’t know where to start.

Plants are another way to add an air of peace and comfort to your home.  Taking care of them can be very healing and calming. The New Plant Parent by Darryl Cheng (Print and Overdrive) teaches you the basics of caring for any houseplant.  If you’d like to make living plants a major part of your interior space, check out Wild at Home: How to Style and Care for Beautiful Plants by Hilton Carter (Print and Overdrive).  

Spending time with loved ones is another way to foster hygge and so is baking!  Why not combine the two? 100 Cookies: the Baking Book for Every Kitchen by Sarah Kieffer (Print and Overdrive)

has your cookie baking desires covered, from simple brownies to chocolate chip cookies to fancy lavender cookies. Want more of a project? The Good Book of Southern Baking: a Revival of Biscuits, Cakes, and Cornbread by Kelly Fields with recipes both simple (Banana Bread) and spectacular (Sweet Potato and Toasted Honey Marshmallow Pie).

Finally, kicking back in a comfy space with a nice drink is as hygge as it gets. Wild Drinks & Cocktails: Handcrafted Squashes, Shrubs, Switchels, Tonics, and Infusions to Mix at Home by Emily Han (Print and Hoopla) has a wealth of recipes that can be enjoyed with or without booze. Want purely alcohol-free options? Healthy Drinks: 60 Vital Recipes for Green Smoothies, Juice Shots, Broths, Detox Water, Kombucha, and More by Heather Otteson (Print and Hoopla) has many ideas for salutary sipping. 

You might want to add a good book or a feel-good movie too! Take a look at Henrico County’s huge selection of cozy mysteries, gentle romances, and movies in DVD and digital formats at henricolibrary.org.  Or get a custom list of recommendations in any genre or format from expert librarians using My Next Read.  We wish you comfort and happiness this winter!