Scandinavian Christmas, Day 10

Day 10, wow! Today the crafty Ingrid is joining us from The Fable of the Table. Ingrid's blog is a cute collection of photos, crafts and inspiration - check it out! She even has quite a few posts about Scandinavian things, like Nisse. Today she will share how to make your home cozy and Christmas-y, the Danish way.

How to make your home hyggelig this winter

Like the idea of creating a social nirvana in your home this winter?

Then you need a a little Danish hygge in your life.

If this is a new word to you, trust me, you will be hearing it everywhere soon.

The Danes have a special skill at creating conviviality, contentment and cosiness in their homes. They describe this feeling as hyggelig, pronounced “hew-gir-li”, better if you have had a snaps and pucker your lips up. It is part of the Danish subconscious.

Being half-Danish and having lived there for four years, I know how important creating a hyggelig home is to keep you going through the long, cold, dark winter.

Home is where the hyggelig happens.

You’ll let your neighbours know you are home when you add lights to your window sill. When they know you have a hyggelig home, they’ll be round all the time!

Go one stage further and toast some almonds in a frying pan then make some pfefferkuchen - the warm aroma will fill your kitchen

Grab a colourful quilt and throw it over the back of your sofa, ready to curl up under.

Even if you get no further than the front door, a basket of woolly bobble hats ready to wear out for a winter walk will make you feel cosy just looking at them!

Light lots of candles -- just looking at flickering flames brings a warmth to your room. Adding extra candles is like having extra guests, you can never have too many.

Invite friends round for Glogg and cookies -- don’t be surprised if the Glogg is more popular.

Games to play and jigsaws to puzzle over bring you together. Games from your childhood are not just things to play, they evoke memories of times past and create long-term family traditions.

Relaxed hospitality is essential -- it is hard to be hyggelig by yourself.

Thank you Ingrid!