With Christmas quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about hygge inspired gifts. The hygge trend has been growing for a few years now and it’s still going strong (for a good reason!).
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What exactly does Hygge mean?
Hygge, pronounced (Hue-gah) is a Danish word originally derived from an Old Norwegian word meaning well-being and protection from the outside elements.
It can be translated as “cozy” or “enjoying the simple things in life.” In other words, hygge is all about embracing the cold weather by gathering with family, friends, and loved ones.
Denmark has notoriously cold, long winters. The concept of hygge has been used by Danish people to help mentally combat the brutally dark, relentless winter season and fill their homes with comfort and love, no matter what the weather is like outside.
Related: Top 10 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
Why is Hygge so Important?
Hygge is a word that is SO important to Danish people! In fact, it’s often used to describe what their culture is all about.
Hygge isn’t necessarily something specific that you can buy, because it’s more of a feeling than a possession. It really is the epitome of Danish living, and in the last five years the concept of hygge has made its way to the US and many other countries as an extremely popular trend.
In other words, hygge can widely be described as a feeling of coziness, comfort, familiarity, friendship, laughter and seasonal homemade food and drinks.
Although it’s possible to achieve hygge any time of the year (an outdoor BBQ with friends or a movie under the stars with family are perfectly good examples of summertime hygge), it’s generally associated with the colder months because of it’s ability to uplift spirits during dark, long winter months.
As someone who’s recently moved to a very dark & cold part of the US, I’ve become a little obsessed with this Danish concept of coziness! To be fair, though, I moved from sunny San Diego up as far north as you can go in Washington state, where the weather is MUCH different than what I was used to.
The concept of hygge has really gotten me through some long, dark winter months, and my hope is that you can use this Danish tradition to spread more joy to the people in your life as well.
It’s perfect for the upcoming holiday season because it’s all about peaceful, cozy surroundings that fill you with the feeling of contentment.
Here are a few simple ways you can use hygge inspired gifts to spread joy during this holiday season!
How to Give Hygge Inspired Gifts
Gift giving is one the most fulfilling aspects of the holiday season.
Generally, people will think of the joy in receiving a special gift for the holidays. But being the giver of a meaningful gift can be even more gratifying, and it often is!
Great gifts are really more about the thoughtful intention behind them than about the actual gift itself. A holiday hygge gift is well thought out, and might include something homemade or something cozy for the home.
Embracing the spirit of gift-giving should start with thinking about the person you’re giving to.
Look into their interests and hobbies. Really think about what makes them happy. Listen for any mentions of clues as you interact with them. If you’re still stuck, ask mutual friends or family!
Once you have an idea of what that person likes and you’re ready to shop, try locally owned stores and artisanal shops when looking for the perfect gift, as there tend to be more unique finds.
Some may even have homemade gifts or pieces from local artists, which helps support your local art community (so it’s a win-win!).
While you’re in the store, remember to keep focused on the preferences of the receiver, not your own, and keep an open mind.
Related: 20+ Practical Gift Ideas for Book Lovers
Ideas for Hygge Inspired Gifts
There are SO many ideas for cozy gifts that encompass the hygge concept.
Winter hygge is all about the feeling of coziness and warmth, so it’s no surprise that gifts for the home are at the top of the list.
Cozy textiles such as blankets, throws, and pillows make great hygge gifts. A luxury textile gift idea is this premium weighted blanket on Amazon Prime. It’s like a hug in a blanket. 🙂
Warm lighting is key in a hygge home, so things like candles and tea light lanterns also make the perfect present too.
JewelScent has some pretty amazing soy candles that have hidden jewelry inside them, making for a warm hygge gift with a fun surprise! All of their candles are made with a soy and beeswax blend, which is eco-friendly. They have wonderful holiday candle scents like Pomegranate Cider, Christmas Tree, Spiced Cranberry, and more, which adds a nice touch to the cozy vibe this gift creates. (You can shop their jewelry candles here.)
Food & Drinks Make Excellent Hygge Gifts!
Seasonal food and drinks embrace the hygge lifestyle as well. Putting together a hot cocoa kit is a wonderful idea for your chocolate-loving friend, plus DIY gifts like this show that you really put some thought into it!
You could make a sweet gift like this using a thoughtful mug, a small decorative spoon, and some hot chocolate mix.
Etsy has some adorable hygge-inspired mugs that would be perfect for this, and you can buy this large bag of natural + vegan cocoa mix for just $13 on Amazon Prime. Don’t forget to add some little marshmallows on top!
Or you could put together the ingredients for your favorite cookie recipe, wrap them in a basket, and include the handwritten recipe and note.
Something personal like this would be a great gift for a family member or best friend.
If you don’t have a favorite cookie recipe, you can totally borrow mine! My favorite right now is this Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe from Tasty.
The ideas are endless when it comes to spreading the holiday cheer through hygge gift giving.
Related: 4 Free Adult Coloring Christmas Cards
Hygge Inspired Gift Wrapping
Last but not least, wrapping your special gift is almost as important as the gift itself!
The wrapping is the presentation of your gift, so it should be neat and festive.
Some ideas for hygge gift wrapping might be a natural-looking and cute cardboard gift box, or wrapping paper with snow, birds, or nature on it. You could even get creative and use a knit stocking, cozy socks, or something seasonal to put your gift in.
If you don’t feel super creative, don’t worry! Pinterest has a lot of awesome ideas & tutorials for hygge-inspired gift wrapping.
A great place to start is with this free printable Hygge Gift Wrap & Tags from A Box of Twine.
Whatever you choose to give and however you choose to wrap it, I hope you have a ton of fun hygge-ing the holidays away! 🙂
After all, it’s far more joyful to give than receive.
Do you have any tips for using the concept of hygge in your gift-giving? How are you planning on giving the gift of hygge this year? I’d love to know in the comments!
Also Read:
- Top 10 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers
- 20+ Practical Gift Ideas for Book Lovers
- 4 Free Adult Coloring Christmas Cards
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Lastly, this post was about how to give hygge inspired gifts.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means we make a small commission when a purchase is made after clicking through a link. This comes at no additional cost to you. We value your trust & only recommend brands/products we truly love. Thanks for your support!
No wonder the word seemed familiar, I like the meaning of it as well! That sounds like a great idea to do a Hygge inspired gifts.
Yes! Hygge is awesome!! So glad you found some inspo from this post 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Angela!