Dec 7, 2025
The word hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) comes from Denmark and Norway. Julehygge, pronounced yule-hoo-gah, is about bringing a cozy yuletide atmosphere to the Christmas holidays. We talk a lot about hygge at KHD, and we’d love to share some ways that you can get cozy this julehygge season!
In our dark, cold winters, hygge is a way to bring warmth inside both emotionally and physically. During the holiday season, hygge means taking time to enjoy simple pleasures and connect with loved ones. We can borrow a few ideas from our Scandinavian neighbours and add a little julehygge to our Canadian homes.
Danes often decorate with real candles. In traditional Danish homes, candlelight on the tree is common, but we wouldn’t suggest that in Calgary. Instead, add soft lighting, lamps, and candles in safe places away from anything flammable.
A softly lit Calgary home in December feels like a gentle nod to Scandinavian winter nights.
Holiday food in Denmark isn’t about extravagance. It’s about good, nourishing meals enjoyed slowly with loved ones. The ritual of cooking together creates memories and connections that will last generations.
Think of times when your loved ones made warm soups, baked goods, maybe a comforting stew or roast just for you. You peeled the potatoes as you reminisced over the years passed and learned about your family’s history and how you fit into the world.
In Scandinavia, mulled drinks, hot chocolate, and spiced pastries are all ways to “hygge up” a holiday gathering.
All year long, we suggest you designate a place in your home to quietly connect with yourself. This space is a hyggekrog; cozy nook/ corner. Add a comfy chair or sofa, a thick blanket or throw, soft cushions, a warm drink, a good book or your favourite music. During the holidays, that spot becomes a hyggelig retreat for you and your guests.
Hygge is about what makes you feel cozy, but we are firm believers that excessive clutter and unnatural materials don’t add to your mental well-being.
Natural materials such as evergreens, pinecones, wooden bowls, rustic textures, wood, wool, and linen are simple and help ground the space in natural beauty.
A few green branches on a mantel or a small pine-cone arrangement on a coffee table can evoke that Nordic winter feeling without feeling overpowering or kitschy.
In Scandinavia, the holiday season isn’t about flashy gifts or over-the-top décor. It’s about slowing down. Gathering. Being present. Laughing, chatting, sharing simple meals or drinks.
Julehygge is not about the number of activities you can keep yourself busy or the number of gifts you give. Of course, your hands will be made busy by the activities you partake in, but it’s about the words you exchange, the stories you share, the time you devote to one another.
The Jólabókaflóðið (Christmas Book Flood) from Iceland offers a lovely counterpart to hygge: during the weeks before Christmas, many new books are released and given as gifts, then read on Christmas Eve, often with hot chocolate.
Imagine adapting this idea for a Calgary holiday: gather a stack of books (holiday-themed or not), wrap them up, and on a winter evening, give them to family or friends. Then, put on soft music, sip cocoa, and read together by the fire or twinkle-light tree.
No need for opulent gifts. Just warmth. Words. Connection.
Soft, warm lighting floods the room: candles on a mantel, a lamp by a comfy chair and lights on dimmer switches.
A hyggekrog in the living room. You could set this space by a fireplace or near a large window with a plush throw, pillows, and a basket of books.
Natural touches: a small pinecone arrangement on the coffee table; a few evergreens in a vase; rustic wooden elements or wool blankets.
Comfort food and drink: cinnamon buns, hot chocolate, soups, a hearty roast or stew, shared over a long, easy-going dinner.
Quality time: reading, chatting, board games, slow-paced evenings.
Holiday décor like simple ornaments, maybe handmade paper hearts or straw figures (echoing Scandinavian simplicity) rather than store-bought glitz. You can even include those brightly coloured homemade childhood ornaments that bring nostalgia. It’s not just about simple aesthetics; it’s about how each item makes you feel.
In a city like Calgary, where winters are cold and daylight is short, embracing hygge and borrowing from Nordic holiday traditions can help a home feel warm, grounded, and full of heart.
Holiday pressure can make even joyful seasons feel stressful. Hygge offers a different approach: ease instead of excess; warmth instead of chaos; presence instead of perfection.
Bringing these ideas into your home doesn’t require a large budget or a renovation. It only needs intention.
A soft blanket. A warm drink. A moment to breathe. A glowing candle. A book to read beside loved ones.
That’s a holiday worth embracing.
If your hygge needs extend beyond some food, time, and decoration, we’d love to help you reimagine your home to reflect you. Let’s talk.
