Article: Reena Simon's hygge tips for Christmas
Reena Simon's hygge tips for Christmas
As we head towards Christmas, Reena Simon shares her favourite hygge-style tips for decorating her home and spending time with those she loves
1 Hygge and Christmas definitely go hand in hand and I don’t think you will find a cosier time,” says Reena. “The feelings of excitement, gratefulness and a calendar dedicated to spending time with loved ones makes me feel at my most content. When it comes to decorating my home, I’m inspired by Scandinavia, where Christmas is a simple affair.”
2 For me it has to be a real Christmas tree. We head to the local Christmas tree farm each year and choose a Nordmann Fir. It has strong, hardy branches and a divine smell. A top tip is to go for a tree with fewer branches towards the bottom so you can see the bare bark.
3 When it comes to decorating, I tend to avoid using just one colour scheme, matching decorations and structure. Instead, I opt for homemade bits that the little ladies have made over the years, textured baubles – and plenty of fairy lights. Much more Scandinavian in feel.
4 Create cosy spaces by adding layers of sheepskins, wool rugs and blankets. By choosing super-soft materials to walk on, sit on and touch, you create a relaxing and calming head space… much needed at this busy time of year.
5 Forage for your Christmas decor. You could look at your garden or pick things up on your weekend woodland walks. I like to keep our Christmas look simple and natural: a fir branch hanging from string looks great against a wall. Try asking your local tree farm for any offcuts of fir.
Relax! You could even put your phone down… after all, the digital world is hardly very hyggelig. This should be the slowest month of the year, spent drinking glögg and eating cheese as you spend time with loved ones. Merry Christmas! – Reena Simon
6 Inviting family and friends over for dinner is my favourite thing to do at Christmas and it gives me the opportunity to go all-out for the table decoration. Try serving a festive smörgåsbord that you can graze on all day long.
7 Baking is big in Scandinavia all year round, but even more so at Christmas. This year, my little ladies are old enough to help me in the kitchen to bake some of my Scandi favourites such as cinnamon rolls and almond cake.
8 Turn off every main light and light candles in all the spaces you have available to create a relaxed atmosphere. And you could even celebrate Advent, which is marked each Sunday in December, by lighting a candle.
9 Don’t forget that Christmas starts at your front door, so now is the time to change your wreath to a festive one. I choose a simple evergreen one, although I do like to go oversized – and I love to hang it using a frayed piece of beige linen.
