What hygge means to me

Snow days, kids home, movies, fire in the wood stove... family

It's a chilly one today. When the schools announced they were closed this morning, I was annoyed. The forecast wasn't even that bad. I'd already been dealing with sick kids, delayed openings, and work all week. Now, I thought, I had to figure out what to do with these kids again! My husband had to go into the office, so I was running the show today.

Well, yes, that's true and all. But after I stopped to slow down my racing thoughts, I remembered that I could turn this into an opportunity. I reframed my outlook: today would be a day of hygge.

I'll fill you in on what that looked like.

Morning - lowering standards

I had to finish some work, so it started with TV for the kids while I handled those tasks. I signed on to my writing group's Zoom call, which is always an uplifting and inspirational experience. I put the kettle on, lit a few candles, brewed my tea and embraced the snow day.

While all of those things contributed, my attitude toward it had the biggest impact in making this morning feel hygge. Drop the grumpy for warm connection, tea, and action.

Lunch - letting go

I tend to be quite a stickler for how/where/when my kids eat. Mess, crumbs, and everything that comes with 3 young kids eating trigger me, which is problematic for a mom of 3 young kids! But remembering my intention today, I thought, how can I make this hygge? Let... go...

What that looked like today was not worrying so much about what they ate, how much, where, what kind of crumbs they were dropping... and I'm so glad. Because it created a happier, calmer vibe in the house, that doesn't mean I will be conducting meals this way forever. It makes much too big of a mess, and they don't get the nutrition they need if they were going to do this for days on end. But this one day, we can do that. Allow some leeway in pursuit of peace.

Afternoon - connection

The afternoon was filled with movies (after much discussion of which...), curled up on the couch all together. I lit a fire in the wood stove, we covered ourselves with blankets, and had a shared experience of watching a new (to us) movie together. I must admit, though, that I did take much of that time working on this post and other things related to it because Sonic 2 isn't really my thing. Nevertheless, we were all together, enjoying each other's company. And sure, would it be nicer to do this over a board game or something? Of course, in theory. But with 5-year-old twins, a 9-year-old, and just me with them all day... I wasn't ready to manage the emotions that inevitably accompany that.

Dinner - comfort food

For dinner, I took a page out of My Hygge Home (not literally) by Meik Wiking and found a comforting Cuban-inspired beans and rice recipe to prepare. A few ladies in one of my women's groups, The Tea Circle, have been raving about cozy bean recipes, and their discussions and photos have been making me hungry for a comforting bean dish! It was an absolutely simple and lovely recipe. Maybe one of these days, I'll try cooking from dried beans instead of canned, but this was an easy entry into a healthy habit of beans and minimizing meat consumption.

Which brings me to the present moment. The kids are winding down with our bedtime routine, and I'm so glad I took this approach to my day. It was not without a few challenges. However, overall, it was a lovely day filled with coziness, bonding, and hygge. A lovely snow day, indeed.