Since starting a family a major priority of this is making sure we have lots of happy times. And a major part of this is making family time. This is where hygge comes into play.
Hygge is of Danish origin and kind of means a mixture of different things.
According to The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking of the Happiness Research Institute, hygge can be explained as 'creating intimacy', 'cosiness of the soul' or 'taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things'. And in the infamous words of Winnie-the-Pooh "you don't spell it, you feel it" - much like love.
The reason I've found hygge so completely fascinating is that it truly resonates with me, and how I want my life, and my families life to be. I want to create a feeling of togetherness and closeness within my family, and I really feel that hygge is so appropriate for creating this.
Luckily we already have quite a lot of the hygge philosophy in our home and lives. I swear I could be Danish (in fact so does Dann - bring on Lego and everything hygge!).
So how are we living a life of hygge?
Candles - all the candles!
Blankets - because they are the symbol of comfort.
Hot tea, coffee and chocolate - yes I'm so ready for autumn.
Cosy corners - we've made ours in the corner of our sofa by our bookcase,perfect for snuggling under the aforementioned blankets, with the aforementioned hot drinks, and the soon to be mentioned books!
Books - I told you they'd be coming up!
Home-cooking - Autumn is the perfect time for homemade soup (check out my recipe for butternut squash soup) and freshly baked bread, and cookies (smarties cookies anyone?), and brownies.
I have to admit hygge seems very autumnal! And that might be why I love it so much!
And to finish off I have the ultimate hygge treat - a microwave mug brownie recipe - the perfect sweet treat and served warm on a cold winters day basically screams hygge!
Ingredients
4.5 tbsp flour
3 tbsp sugar
2.5 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp milk
How to
- Mix all the brownie ingredients, and add chocolate chips (optional), with a fork until thoroughly mixed. Make sure to scrape all ingredients that are stuck on the bottom and the sides of the cup...
- Place in the microwave and heat for (see times below) making sure the brownie is still moist in the middle. Approx. 1:45 (750 watt) Approx. 1:30 (850 watt) Approx. 1:15 (950 watt) Note: I have only managed to test at 850 watts and the above are just estimates.
- Leave for 2 minutes to continue to cook and cool down a little bit.
- Add the ice-cream to the top and serve!
Are you going to be living a life with hygge?
Also head over to my instagram for your chance to win a copy of The Little Book of Hygge.
Also head over to my instagram for your chance to win a copy of The Little Book of Hygge.
