25 Hygge Christmas Ideas to Warm Your Soul
How to Have a Cozy Hygge Christmas will give you ideas on creating the perfect holiday recipe for fun with the whole family! Originating from Denmark, the concept of hygge (pronounced “hoo-gha”) revolves around creating a cozy atmosphere and finding joy in simple pleasures.
If you want more ideas on creating a cozy Christmas, 21 Hygge Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas and 55 Old Fashioned Christmas Ideas will put you on the right path.
Memories make the holiday season special, so make sure to pencil in some heart-warming traditions that will last longer than any gift in your family’s memories.
“I hope you find some time this week to get really, really quiet. To curl up in a big cozy chair and watch a movie you’ve seen a million times before. To hug people you love. To wrap up in a warm blanket and read a good book. To drink hot cocoa from a Christmas mug. To stand outside in the crisp night air and marvel at the stars. I hope you find the time this week to sit silently in front of your life and contemplate how magical it really is, before we turn the page and greet a New Year.”
Mandy Hale
Creating a Cozy Life Group
Since you found this article on creating a Merry Hygge Christmas, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 123,000 like-minded souls.
It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.
How do you say Hygge?
I pronounced hygge wrong for months before finally finding out I was saying it wrong. “Hoo-gah” is the correct way to say it. If you want even more clarification, Youtube videos will help you. Here’s how you pronounce it.
Where did Hygge come from?
The word hygge originally came from Norway. Its translation loosely meant well-being. The Danish adopted the word as their own, and they embody the hygge lifestyle. Danes are among the happiest people in the world and attribute their happiness partly to hygge.
What is Hygge?
You cannot summarize Hygge in just a word or even a sentence. The best way I can describe it is an outlook on life that focuses on simple pleasures and taking the time to cultivate more of them in your life.
It’s when you give your body, mind, and spirit a rest and enjoy the good things in life, like a sunrise or sunset, reading a book in front of a crackling fire, taking the time to savor a delicious mug of gourmet tea, and spending time with friends and family in a comfortable setting.
What makes a Hygge Lifestyle?
Instead of living your life on autopilot, hygge is a way of life that makes sure you live your life in a way that brings deep contentment to your soul.
Sometimes, the outer things in life (money, power, achievements) aren’t the things that will make us happy. A hygge life encourages us to look at what truly brings us joy and make sure we include those things in our days.
Resources on Hygge Living:
Here’s an article on how two friends got together and created a company devoted to hygge wallpaper.
I love a YouTube channel with a host that actually lives in Denmark. You can find it here.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets of Being Happy by Meik Wiking is the book that started the cozy craze for this Danish word.
Finding that balance between getting things done and learning to schedule downtime is what we all need to live happy-centered days.
My Other Posts on the Hygge Lifestyle
31 Day Hygge Christmas Challenge
31 Hygge Winter Ideas to Nurture Yourself
Here are the 25 Hygge Christmas Ideas to Warm Your Soul
1. Christmas Camping
A magical holiday memory is letting your children stay downstairs and sleep in sleeping bags under the lit Christmas tree. Turn out all the lights except for the glow of the tree.
You can share your memories of Christmas while you were growing up.
Be sure to take pictures of their cute little faces looking at the tree and take photos after they fall asleep. You’ll treasure those photos for the rest of your life.
2. Holiday Dishes
A fun holiday tradition is having a set of Christmas-themed dishes to use from December 1st until Christmas dinner.
You can either get an entire set of matching dishes, or you can piece your holiday table settings together by picking up individual pieces at thrift stores. The festive season deserves a table setting that celebrates its arrival.
3. Snow Angels
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to cover your town with snow angels.
Embarking on a whimsical adventure, you set out to make snow angels all over town, leaving behind a trail of delightful imprints of your joyful spirit.
The world could use a few more angels. It’s the perfect time to a touch of fun to your town with angelic art and infuse the world with the Christmas spirit. This activity is so much fun!
4. Same Time Next Year
Take a photo of your family in the same position and same place every year. It can be a picture with Santa, in front of the stockings or tree, or even making a snowman.
You’ll have beautiful documentation of your kids growing up on this magical holiday.
5. Festival of Trees
Make it an annual tradition to go with your family to your local Festival of Trees. It’s an opportunity to see some creative talent in your own backyard.
You might even get an idea or two on decorating your own home using the ideas from the festival.
6. Family Interviews
Videotape your family members after Christmas and ask them to share their favorite holiday moments of the year. Record what they are most grateful for in the last year.
Having recordings of your kids talking about what makes the holiday season so magical throughout the years is a priceless gift that will continue to give.
7. Matching Pajamas
Wearing matching pajamas on Christmas Eve creates a heartwarming sense of togetherness as families gather around the tree in cozy unity.
Seeing loved ones donning the same festive sleepwear adds a layer of joy to the holiday celebrations.
10. Christmas Ornaments with History
Make your Christmas tree a historical display of your lives together. Fill the branches with ornaments you picked up on family vacations, ornaments that were given as a gift to celebrate an accomplishment, or homemade ornaments.
Keep a journal that will list the ornaments and their history. While your family decorates the tree, talk about your memories of the ornament.
9. Holiday Windows
Put each family member in charge of decorating one window in your home. Hold a contest where you give prizes out for the most creative one.
Your family members can either decorate windows or window ledges with holiday decorations to create a cozy home that reflects the season.
10. Secret Angel
Place all your family members names in a bowl, and each person draws a name and becomes their secret angel.
The idea is to do nice things for the person you drew without being caught. On Christmas Eve, everyone guesses who their secret angel is, and then they are revealed during dinner.
11. Christmas Movie Night
Designate one day to be a magical Christmas movie marathon extravaganza. Have everything ready to get comfortable and watch all the classic movies we have all come to love.
Set up a hot chocolate bar, have piles of blankets ready, pizza ready to go in the oven, and lots of pillows for everyone to settle in and enjoy the day.
12. Happy Birthday Jesus
When I was at my Aunt Bev’s house for Christmas one year, she brought out a Christmas cake with lit with candles after dinner. She emerged through the kitchen singing, “Happy Birthday Jesus!”
Sometimes, we forget why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place. A birthday cake honoring Jesus’ birth is the perfect tradition to add to your holiday.
13. Creative Gathering
Christmas can be overwhelming, so why not organize a work party with your friends so it becomes way more fun?
Some of the simple things you can do are cookie decorating, present wrapping, or even wreath making.
Make it a potluck and have everyone bring their own supplies so you aren’t stressed.
14. Gone, but not Forgotten
Place the pictures of loved ones in small frames and place them on the fireplace mantel. You can add a bit of evergreen around the photographs to symbolize eternal life.
You could also put photos in small frames and hang them on the Christmas tree.
Tell your children Christmas stories of your loved ones so their memories live on in future generations.
15. Christmas Card Blessing
Every night at dinner, starting December 1st – take a Christmas card you received out of the pile and send a blessing to the family.
As the words of the greeting cards are shared, a sense of love and connection deepens, making the holiday feast more memorable.
16. Christmas Pickle
This fun tradition is thought to have originated in the late 19th century in America. You hide a pickle ornament on the Christmas tree to find on Christmas morning.
The first person who finds the ornament receives an extra gift from Santa or has a year of good fortune.
Weaving in old traditions for Christmas Day into our holiday season is very hygge, and this idea is simple to add to your family’s activities.
For more information on how the Christmas pickle tradition started, I wrote an article about it here.
17. It’s Show Time
Seeing a live performance during the Christmas season is pure magic. Make it a holiday tradition to include a play, musical, or dance performance in your family activity list.
Your tradition can be to see the Nutcracker every year, or if your family likes variety, you can pick a new performance to attend annually.
18. Natural Decor
Natural Christmas decorations in your home will melt even the frostiest of hearts. There’s a reason movies still show families stringing popcorn and cranberries into garlands.
There are so many different ways you can get your family involved in cloaking your home in holiday wonder. Its hard to decide from so many different choices.
Foraging for evergreen branches, berries, pine cones, and acorns in the forest and drying orange slices are just some possibilities.
19. Christmas Lights
My family jumps in a van every Christmas loaded with thermos of coffee, hot cocoa, hot apple cider, and snacks. We then tour all the best areas for Christmas lights.
We saw this gingerbread house on one of the tours.
20. Holiday Puzzle
Have one table dedicated to putting together a jigsaw puzzle back together starting at the beginning of December. It’s a great way to spend quality time with those you love during this time of year.
Ensure you get a puzzle with lots of pieces so it takes a while to complete the project.
Another idea is to have board games out, ready to play. There’s even a Hygge Board Game you can find here on Amazon.
21. Cozy Nook
Transform an area of your home into a magical reading nook for the winter season. Add fairy lights and comfy chairs. Have a stack of blankets ready to be used.
Read your favorite Christmas stories to each other in a cozy ambiance.
22. Candy Making
This tradition involves making candy during the Christmas season. Invite family and friends to help create the sweet treats and enjoy creating culinary masterpieces.
You can recreate candy recipes that have been handed down through the generations.
23. Christmas Crackers
Using Christmas crackers as a Christmas tradition adds a delightful element to holiday celebrations. As the festive table is set and loved ones gather, the anticipation builds with the placement of these colorful and ornately wrapped crackers.
The shared moment of pulling them apart creates a burst of joyous laughter and surprise as trinkets come tumbling out.
24. Dipping Candles
During the enchanting Christmas season, crafting candles becomes a cherished tradition that infuses warmth and radiance into the festive atmosphere.
As snowflakes gently descend outside, family and friends gather indoors to embark on the artful journey of candle making.
The process begins with carefully selecting fragrances that evoke nostalgia and holiday cheer, whether it’s the comforting scent of cinnamon, the refreshing aroma of pine, or the sweet notes of vanilla.
Light candles at the dinner table during the holiday season to create a magical experience.
Once you start making your own candles, it will become a cherished event during the holiday season.
25. Ice Lanterns
Creating enchanting Christmas ambiance with ice lanterns illuminating the winter months, where freezing water transforms into glistening sculptures, casting a warm and magical glow upon the festive season.
We’ve reached the end of 25 Hygge Christmas Ideas to Warm Your Soul. I hope you enjoyed the article.
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite holiday tradition your family practices.
Be sure to join the Creating a Cozy Life Group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!
I created a pin on How to Have a Hygge Christmas below for you to add to your Pinterest Christmas board.
You can follow me here on PINTEREST. If you try any of these ideas and take a photo, be sure to tag me here on INSTAGRAM.
Thanks for stopping by! We’re so happy you found us.
Related Posts:
- Embrace Hygge at Work: Turn Your Office Into a Cozy Place
- Best Hygge Books to Inspire a Cozy Life
- Hygge Family Dinner Traditions to Try Tonight
- 31 Hygge Hobbies to Try
- Scandinavian Christmas Decor Ideas
