Have Yourself a Hygge Christmas

After one reads Charles Dickens’ classic tale “Christmas Carol” it becomes pretty evident that the meaning of Christmas is about togetherness and generosity and essentially all things hygge. Of course Mr. Dickens writes in a dark time of London setting, but nonetheless what he describes as a happy Christmas full of meaning is one that is centered around family and creating memories. Having a hygge Christmas is about how to make the most of what we have (not give into the flashy consumerism of our time), how to be generous and foster the spirit of charity which is centered around the Christ Child, and how to enjoy the festive time around the people we love. We can have a hygge Christmas by focusing on these elements and doing what we love most. Three ways I aim to have a hygge Christmas is by taking the time to make delicious sourdough sugar cookies with a few family members, by making a fairy light Christmas tree with grocery bag painted ornaments, and by spending  the day around my very own little family. 

Yes, sourdough sugar cookies sound ambitious…but add all the other delicious things that also need to be baked. Oreo truffles, bread, chocolate dipped pretzels, fudges, and molasses cookies  seem to add up to an insurmountable baking task. BUT! Add the element of fermentation (hence the sourdough) and the joy of being creative with like minded bakers and you soon have cookie exchanges and cookie decorating parties! This makes the endless toil of baking enjoyable and in the end very hygge. You spend time creating beautiful delicious edibles and have the added bonus of doing it with a few friends and creating memories. The key is to be patient, give yourself time, and above all enjoy the process!

Now you say to yourself , “Bernadette, why a fairy light tree with grocery bag ornaments?” To which I say, “because of money!” But, no in all seriousness the idea behind the fairy light Christmas tree is that it was something I already had, and I wanted a way to add to the Advent season of preparing for Christmas. Making ornaments out of paper bags was a way to use what I already had in addition to the lights to create an Advent tree. It also had the underlining bonus of providing my family with a tree when we don’t have the means in our little apartment life to create the memory of cutting and decorating a real pine tree. However, being honest it was just as fun painting the ornaments and getting to experience the daily decorating high by determining where the next one would go each day of December.

Ah yes! Once my Advent tree is full of all 25 ornaments it suddenly becomes a Christmas tree! Oh! What magic! What fun! Then I can place little brown packages (wrapped in …you guessed it …brown grocery bag paper with candy canes and heart tags) and spend the Christmas morning with endless fika (which happens to be the delightful practice of a Swedish coffee break) and endless amounts of delectable Christmas goodies. The afternoon will be filled with jolly good games with even more family and even more food. And at last the evening will be spent close together with family reflecting on the joys of Christmas and essentially what Mr. Dickens wanted us to remember all those years ago…the meaning of Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to you? Can you sum it up in 3 simple words? I think it might change every year, especially with a growing family and new events happening in my life, but in the end there are some elements of Christmas that never change and in fact transcend time and place. For me, those elements are Jesus (the most precious bundle of Joy the earth has ever seen), Family (they are the reason I am happy every Christmas season) and Hygge. The most Hygge season of all is unquestionably…Christmas.