12 Ways to Hygge Your Life

By VITA Daily

For 2016, Collins Dictionary said that the UK’s word of the year was Brexit, but the runner-up was the distinctly lovelier and cuddlier hygge (pronounced hoo-guh). It’s a Danish/Norwegian expression without exact translation, but that essentially means a state of being cosy, comfortable and safe. And isn’t that something we’d all love to be feeling as we end 2016? Here are a dozen ways to make your life more hygge. —Aileen Lalor

• Read all about it

  By VITA Daily

  The UK has been flooded with books about hygge this year. Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness by Danish actress Marie Tourell Søderberg is full of interior design tips, recipes, and advice on how to make time for hygge moments. Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness, $28 at Amazon.ca.

• Rocking around

  By VITA Daily

  Cosying up in a rocking chair is mandatory. This one, from Crate & Barrel, is handcrafted and includes a down-filled throw cushion for extra cosiness. Jeremiah Fabric Back Rocker, $2,399 at Crateandbarrel.com.

• Blanket solution

  By VITA Daily

  Pure merino wool and a plaid pattern make this the perfect thing to snuggle under on winter evenings. Better still, it’s machine-washable on a cold cycle. Faribault Plaid Wool Throw, $210 at Orlingandwu.com.

• We heart you

  By VITA Daily

  Add a little love to your home with a simple hand-carved heart-shaped bowl made from wood. Hand Carved Heart Bowl, $95 at Thecrossdesign.com.

• Hot stuff

  By VITA Daily

  Mulled wine gives your home a gorgeous wintry fragrance – recipe here. For a more solitary, less boozy treat, there are these Hot Chocolate Pops. Simply stir the chocolate into a cup of warm milk, then add the marshmallows. Hot Chocolate Pops, from $3.25 each at Danielchocolates.com.

• Light relief

  By VITA Daily

  Overhead lighting is too harsh for your cosy concept. Instead, you need plenty of lamps, including this simple Nordic-styled one in wood and white fabric. Nordic Table Lamp, $128 at Roveconcepts.com.

• Sweater Weather

  By VITA Daily

  Don a roll neck for your mulled-wine-fuelled tree-trimming party. This, from Dynamite, has handy side zips to accommodate a Sirups Kager-stuffed belly. Cowl Neck Tunic Sweater with Zips, $50 at Dynamite.ca.

• Jama time

  By VITA Daily

  Of course realistically, your hygge time is most likely to be spent in loungewear. These PJs have a cheery check pattern and are made from comfy flannel. Pendleton flannel sleep shirt, $40 and sleep pants, $45 at Gap.

• Slipper into something comfortable

  By VITA Daily

  All high-heeled out from festive parties? Give your feet a treat with comfy moccasins, lined in faux shearing. Women’s Lodge Moccasins, $63 at Jcrew.com.

• Plaid all over

  By VITA Daily

  Concerned you don’t have enough in the way of plaid accessories yet? This very hygge pillow cover comes emblazoned with the message, “Home is where our story begins.” Expressions Stuart Plaid Pillow Cover, $34.50 at Indigo.ca.

• Fire starter

  By VITA Daily

  A crackling log fire is the very heart of your hygge home. For those of us that don’t live in a ski lodge, Martin Margiela’s Replica by the Fireplace fragrance provides a decent substitute. It smells disconcertingly like a real log fire on first spray, but soon settles down to a warm, lovely smoky scent. Martin Margiela Replica by the Fireplace Perfumed Oil Spray, $135 at Sephora.ca.

• Hold a candle

  By VITA Daily

  A fragranced candle provides the finishing touch to your hygge experience, and what could be more hygge-ly than giving back to charity. When bought at Holt Renfrew, proceeds of sales of the Vancouver Candle Co’s products go towards its socially responsible H Project. All are handmade in Vancouver from soy wax 100 per cent cotton wicks and essential oils. Vancouver Candle Co Kitsilano Candle, from $20 at Holt Renfrew.