Last year for Christmas, I received an Ancestry DNA kit last year. What I learned was every Scandanavian country? I’m that. So this year, after getting married to my husband, who is Mexican, I thought it would be fun to have a Scandinavian-Mexican theme for the holidays in our house. So I started researching traditions from both cultures, and it turns out, there are about a million. So I have found some foods that I will be making over the holiday season, as well as some fun decorations and traditions that I cannot wait to participate in. I’ll write more about those later on.
My favorite thing I discovered was Hygge. This isn’t a holiday thing, it’s more of a lifestyle, but it typically coincides with winter as the days are shorter and darker. Apparently, this became trendy four years ago in America, so if you know what it is, then go ahead and skim this paragraph. I, however, just discovered this magical thing. Hygge is a Danish word essentially meaning, “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” (New Yorker, 2016). Mostly it is appreciating the simpler things in life and connecting with what matters. Sipping tea by candlelight, turning off phones and TVs, reading a book, and connecting with loved ones.
This week I unofficially started by taking the time to connect with many friends and enjoying their company. Let me tell you, by the end of all of these lunches/brunches/Christmas market, my energy already felt replenished.
For December, I will be “unplugging” and appreciating time with my husband, friends, and family. While I will continue to write, in fact, I hope to write more with my free time, I will be off social media for the entirety of December. I may even go into January if I’m really enjoying myself. My phone will be silenced, and sometimes it may also be in a completely separate room. My time will be spent on things that fill me up rather than deplete me, and I will give myself space to hit pause. I want to drink coffee, tea, and mulled wine by the Christmas tree undisturbed. I want to play board games with friends and family.
Why does this appeal to me, now? Over the past year (let’s be honest, two years), I feel like I have been going at a crazy pace. Between working on my master’s degree, teaching, going through yoga teacher training, and getting married, I haven’t stopped. And to say I am burnt out is an understatement. I rarely write or create anything, which is the core of who I am. I need to find that again and to do so, I need to create space for myself. Hopefully, everyone can find the space they need and deserve this holiday season.
**While I’m disconnecting myself from social media, I will still be writing here, which automatically posts to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I hope to share more about my multicultural holidays as well as my Hygge journey. Just be sure you are following me on those platforms:
Facebook: @flourishingboldly
Twitter: @JessicaLenore7
Flourishing Boldly 