Embracing Hygge in Fall with A Disney Twist for a Cozy Time In
Years ago, I stumbled across the Danish idea of Hygge, the coziness and comfortable friendliness that gives rise to a feeling of contentment as defined in the dictionary. In lamens terms, it means engaging in cozy activities that allow for purposeful time away from the daily hustle and bustle to enjoy the people you care about while relaxing and genuinely focusing on life's simple pleasures. In a world where everyone is telling you how to live your best life, why not take some influence from people who are genuinely doing that?
Then I had an idea. How can I bring fun Disney-related activities into my home seasonally focused on the ten principles of Hygge? Disney runs in my blood, and I'm definitely not Danish; just looking around my house or our yearly vacation plans, you can see how much I love the mouse—bringing in that cozy warmth as a family when we are nowhere near the parks while keeping it fun seemed the best idea. After all, Disney is the happiest place on Earth, and the Danes are considered the happiest people on the planet, so naturally, the two need to collide.
According to Meik Wiking, the author of " The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well," the ten principles of the Hygge Manifesto are Atmosphere, Presence, Pleasure, Equality, Gratitude, Harmony, Comfort, Truce, Togetherness, and Shelter. Thinking of 10 ways a season to keep these principals alive while bringing in the Disney flair and regrouping is challenging, but I'm up for it. So here I am, embracing the chilly, encouraging downtime to sleep, enjoy nature, and cook, all with a bit of influence from my favorite place. What do you get when you mix wellness and a love of Disney? What you get is a recipe for a fantastic season.
Atmosphere
Even though you are at home, there are many ways to bring a little Disney flair into your house. The focus is just a tangible way for the fall season. My favorite way to do this is to decorate a Disney-esque tiered tray. It's easy, changeable for each season, and allows for all the cute mugs that you need for other things on this list. Plus, let's be honest, you can only have a few mugs for warm drinks when the weather gets cold out. I'm a big fan. The giant Mickey pumpkin candle holder, yeah, he sets the tone of the entire tray for me.
What about when the season changes from Halloween to Thanksgiving? Well, a couple of movies or characters immediately pop into my mind. As much as it makes me cry, the Fox and the Hound occurs in the fall and winter months. Similarly, the characters Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers remind me of watching cartoons after school (completely dating myself), which is a fall thing. So, my tiered tray has little nods to each of them from November 1 - November 30 to bring that cozy atmosphere.
Presence
Presence is just being in the moment. The best way to do that with the family is without electronics. In the fall, we go back to playing some epic board games. They evoke that sense of laughter, enjoying each other's company and a little friendly competition. Board games also make you talk to each other in a fun way, something that gets hard when we're all wrapped up in the ins and outs of life from day to day. My favorites that come to mind this season are:
Villainous
Haunted Mansion
The Jungle Cruise
It's all fun, all Disney-themed, and easy to do or get lost in while enjoying the company of those I love the most.
Pleasure
Nothing is more pleasurable than a sweet treat to indulge in after a long day of dealing with the cold. Fall is the beginning of baking, so we do just that. What's the one treat that comes to mind when I think of Disney... Churro's. It might be a nostalgic thing or a Disneyland lover thing, but Disney and Churros go hand in hand. Being the vegan I am, this The Big Man's World recipe is my favorite!
Equality
Sharing is caring; it's the we, not the me! We share a ton during these months in simple ways. The other day, I bought my daughter this super cute Disney sponge to make helping clean up around the house a little more fun. It sounds silly, but we live here and share the load. A fun towel set makes it a good time, and it looks cute when you're done, too!
Gratitude
I fully realize what I'm about to say is a completely Thanksgiving thing, but it's something I have come to look forward to. Hallmark is one of my favorite stores for random, adorable things. While perusing the store, I found the Thank You card section and found that they have quite a few blanks or Thank You Disney-specific boxed note cards. Thus, the tradition has started. Every November, I pick 3 to 5 people I'm thankful for and send them a little gratitude notecard in the mail. Just a sweet something that says thank you for being a part of my life; I'm so glad you're in it. It brings me so much joy to put a smile on someone's face. The fact they're Disney-themed is just the icing on the cake.
Harmony
Harmony is confidence in yourself. Feeling at peace with yourself and love for those around you it's about feeling centered. My favorite way to bring that into myself is by doing counts of three with daily affirmations. I close my eyes while breathing deeply in the saying or thought, hold my breath while repeating it, and exhale while reciting it aloud. I repeat this series of telling myself this optimistic thought five times before going on with my day. It only takes a minute, and yet it helps so much with having that little bit of extra faith in myself as I navigate my day. It is breathing in peace and letting go of any negativity plaguing me.
Here are some ideas:
Even miracles take a little time ~ Cinderella
Our fate lives within us; you only have to be brave enough to see it. ~Brave
Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine. ~ Snow White
Sometimes, the right path is not the easiest one. ~ Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas
If you do your best each and every day, good things are sure to come your way. ~ The Princess and the Frog
Comfort
Comfort is easy; it's cozy. Warm sweaters, cozy blankets, thick socks, fireplaces, all that illicits warming up with a good book or cuddling up for an afternoon nap. I am all for all of this with a Disney homemaker vibe. I have the sweaters, the blankets, the onsies, and the socks to match. My newest find is a Haunted Mansion Sherpa. It matches nothing in my living room, but it's my favorite ride, so concessions had to be made.
Truce
A truce is ridding yourself of unnecessary drama. There's just no point in wasting the time and energy you could spend on other things in conflict that's pointless. Hakuna Matata, call a truce and invite people over for.
Togetherness
This is an easy one: togetherness means focusing on relationships in every way possible and being with people who you love or care about in authentic ways. In the fall, I do this by doing simple things. "Let's shop at Homegoods for a new Disney mug for the collection." or " Wanna go to Starbucks and Target for the new decor?" or do a project together like the Disney 100 Lego set my husband and I are building. It's just about finding simple, easy ways to put the phone down and do life with the ones you care for.
Shelter
Shelter is creating a safe, little, cozy place in your home where you can snuggle up with a book and a cup of warmth. We all need a haven, our spot in our home. Mine changes every season according to what's going on around the house. This fall, the chair by the window in our living room with the ottoman. I even decked it out with a cute little fall Disney pillow from the beloved HomeGoods, my new blanket, and the book of choice this season. (Making my way through all the Twisted Tales). It's my cozy haven.
I hope this inspires you to bring your own bits of Hygge into your life this season. Even if you're not ready, I hope you'll enjoy this look into mine. PS Don't worry; I'll update you on what has changed in the winter. Until then, relax, settle down, and get cozy.
