How to Enjoy Simple Hygge this Autumn

Hygge (pronounced "hoo-gah") became popular a few years ago among decorators and lifestyle influencers.  Because our society is capitalist, this meant an opportunity for sales!  So hygge blankets, candles, slippers, cardigans, cookbooks, and even a hygge game came on the market.

Everyone wants to be relaxed and comfortable at home, which is the appeal of hygge.  The thing is – you can't buy it.  Hygge is minimalist in that it doesn't require a bunch of props.  As author Louisa Thomsen Brits describes it,

Hygge happens when we commit to the pleasure of the present moment in its simplicity.  It's there in the things we do that give everyday life value and meaning, that comfort us, make us feel at home, rooted and generous.

We're at odds with nature's rhythm.

Autumn is when nature slows down.  Temperatures dip, leaves start to turn, the growing season has finished and harvest begins.  Yet our tempo often speeds up as school starts and children get busy with classes, sports, and band practice.  After taking some free time during the summer, we amp up our activities too.  And with the Holiday Shopping Season just around the corner, we may already be making plans for the Most Awesome Holiday Ever.

Instead, maybe there are a few things we should release as autumn arrives:

• the need to compete and compare
• the need to be perfect
• the need to fill every moment
• the need for more, always more

It's time to savor the good things in life, and hygge is just what we need.  A word that originated in Norway, and a concept perfected by the Danes, hygge can be translated as "well-being."  Instead of being crazy busy, following the crowd, and living on autopilot, hygge encourages us to pay attention to the simple daily pleasures that don't require planning or purchasing, but simply happen if we slow down and enjoy.

This list is not intended to add stress to your life by giving you lots to do.  It's simply a roster of ideas and reminders from which you can choose.

21 autumn hygge traditions and activities

1.  Plant bulbs.

This is a hopeful activity.  Bulbs don't look alive, but they'll grow, bloom, and multiply over the years.  Daffodils can be planted from now through November.  Tulips can be planted in October and November, but if you live where winters are mild, like I do, buy them now and keep them in a paper bag in the refrigerator for about six weeks before planting.  

Take your time, work the soil, and look forward to the magic of spring.

2.  Start a fire.

I don't have a fireplace, and it's not yet cool enough to enjoy a bonfire.  But I do enjoy a tiny indoor/outdoor fire pit.*  It has the ambiance of a fire with less heat.  It would even work on an apartment balcony or in an RV.  And did I say s'mores?

* This blog is reader-supported.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission.

3.  Make chili.

Nothing says autumn like a big pot of chili.  I like it vegetarian-style, but many people prefer it with lots of hearty meatiness.  You'll have plenty to share with friends, and you can add all of your favorite toppings as you enjoy this fall favorite together.

4.  Pick apples.

The Sacramento Valley is too hot for apple orchards, so we travel into the foothills around Placerville on the way to Lake Tahoe.  There we meander along winding roads, stop at any orchard to pick sun-warmed fruit, picnic on the grass overlooking autumn-tinged hills, crank an old cider press, and buy a gallon or two to take home.  We visited Apple Hill with our children, and now our grandsons go.  Hygge is all about tradition.

5.  Pull out photo albums.

It's fine to look at pictures on a phone, but there's nothing like an over-sized album that covers your lap, filled with photos going back more than a generation.  Make sure your kids and grandkids know who's who and what's what.  Write captions for the photos, but tell the stories too!  I know so much about my grandparents and even my great-grandparents because of stories my mom told.

6.  Hit the road.

Maybe you can see lots of fall color in your hometown, or maybe you have to drive a bit to get the best views.  How many years have passed as you barely registered the change of seasons, let alone sat on a log watching leaves waft slowly to the ground?  If you're able, take a hike and notice all the details.

7.  Pumpkins!

Yes, it's pumpkin patch season, and that means a festival.  There are hay rides, scarecrow contests, and choose-your-own pumpkins.  It's time to make:

• pumpkin pie
• pumpkin bread
• pumpkin cookies
• pumpkin cheesecake
• pumpkin smoothies
• pumpkin pancakes

Don't forget roasted pumpkin seeds!  I like to add a big spoonful of pumpkin puree to my oatmeal, dust it with cinnamon, drizzle on maple syrup, then sprinkle on pumpkin seeds.  Yum.

8.  Use your hands.

I enjoy crocheting, but I don't do much in the summer because it's just too hot to be covered in yarn.  Autumn is the perfect time to start a small project, perhaps a baby blanket, shawl, or tote bag.  Maybe you like to plant terrariums, fold origami, bake bread, paint rocks, craft jewelry, or play the guitar.  Busy hands will add to your satisfaction and self-sufficiency.

9.  Plan soup night.

Now that it's cooler, pick a certain night every week for soup night.  Make it a night when everyone's home.  Keep phones off as you gather for hot homemade soup, a delicious salad, and some warm crusty bread.  

10.  Create a nook.

Create a soothing retreat in one corner of your house where you can relax at the end of the day.  Choose your favorite chair, and add an ottoman if you like.  Keep a cozy blanket nearby, a lamp, and a table for your tea, journal, and book.  Enjoy the peace and comfort.

Here are some of my favorite autumn reads:

• Ray Bradbury Something Wicked this Way Comes
• Neil Gaiman Coraline
• Erin Morgenstern The Night Circus
• Carlos Ruiz Zafón The Shadow of the Wind
• Ann Patchett The Dutch House
• Jane Austen Persuasion (I'm re-reading it right now!)

11.  Light candles.

Many people love autumn-scented candles, but what I especially like about them is the glow and the way they make everything look softer.  We're all beautiful by candlelight!  I don't often light candles during the summer, so I'll get back to it now that the evening hours are longer.

I love WoodWick candles that crackle when they're lit.  The pleasant sound adds a fireside ambiance, as does my favorite fragrance, White Teak.  With a mixture of balsam, teak, moss, and cedar, your room will smell like a cottage in the woods.

12.  Host game night.

When was the last time you had people over to play a board game?  My husband Jon and I did it all the time before our kids were born, then started again when they got old enough to play.  Now our two oldest grandsons are interested in games, and we like to play with them.  (They particularly enjoy this ever-changing map game and this silly strategy game.)  

You don't have to turn the evening into "entertaining," with all the stress that might entail.  Invite your guests for after dinner, and serve dessert and some apple cider (warm it in your slow cooker with cinnamon sticks and orange slices).

13.  Relax on Pajama Day.

Choose a day to spend in your pajamas.  Start by enjoying your morning coffee on the back porch, observing nature.  Then read that book you've wanted to start, watch a couple of your favorite movies, or call your best friend for a long chat.  Give yourself space and time so you have more to give to others.

14.  Watch the birds.

It's migration time, and you'll either hear and see birds leaving or hear and see them coming.  I'm lucky to live right on the Pacific Flyway, and we have many birds coming into our area by late September.  

My husband loves birds and knows a lot about them, so we usually spend time at our local wildlife refuge, watching birds and looking for signs of other critters.  If you live where winters are cold, why not set up a food and water station for the birds that remain?

15.  Take a ride.

Taking a walk on a crisp autumn morning is a treat that will make you feel alert and lively, but a bike ride is even better.  Cruise through the old part of town and look at the quaint houses and gardens.  Why not snap some pictures of all the autumn sights?

16.  Pot pie perfection.

When Jon and I were dating, I made him a chicken pot pie from scratch.  It took me all day!  I'm not talented with pie crust, but it looked good, was edible, and he was so impressed!

Today, I bake chicken and vegetables in a sauce and cover it with biscuit dough – to me, it's easier and just as tasty.  It's such a nostalgic dish, and the very definition of comfort food.  Your family will love it.

17.  Love your neighbor.

It's the perfect time to reach out to your neighbor with a bit of the season's bounty.  Fill a brown paper bag with ripe pears from the farmers' market, tie a raffia bow on a jar of local honey, or wrap an autumn-colored dish towel around a batch of your pumpkin muffins.  Add a little note about how thankful you are to have them next door.

18.  Add some autumn touches.

We change our wardrobes when the seasons change, so why not dress our houses too?  Cut some fall foliage and add it to a vase, toss a cozy throw on the sofa, and fill a bowl with mini pumpkins or gourds from the supermarket.  Find more ideas here.

How about decorating your front porch for your neighbors to enjoy?  You could add hay bales, pumpkins, potted chrysanthemums, a grapevine wreath, or a homemade scarecrow (use old or thrifted clothes).  

19.  Take tea.

I like having a warm cup of tea in the afternoon.  I boil the kettle, look out the window as my tea steeps, and inhale deeply before I take the first sip.  My favorite autumn tea is Good Earth Sweet & Spicy herbal and black tea blend.  I've loved drinking this tea since I went to the original Good Earth restaurant in San Francisco in the late 1970's.  Spicy cinnamon mingles with sweet orange, lemongrass, peppermint, anise, and ginger.  It's delicious.

20.  Watch the moonrise.

I'll never forget the New Year's Eve when Jon and I watched the full moon rise as we listened to the end of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.  Wow!  With or without musical accompaniment, the moonrise is a magical thing.

21.  Give thanks.

There's no reason to wait for one special day to give thanks for our blessings.  Even the simplest things deserve our gratitude:  a hot shower in the morning, the smell of breakfast bacon, a stranger's smile, a rainy afternoon.  Start a Gratitude Jar now, adding notes as you encounter things you appreciate.  Then take time to read your notes aloud on Thanksgiving Day.

Hygge is a mindset that ensures you live your life in a way that brings deep contentment.  It isn't money, power, or achievements that bring us lasting happiness, but those simple daily joys.

Want to know more about hygge?  You know you want my newest book, Minimalist Hygge, for sale now on Amazon.  It's available as an e-book, a paperback, and as a giftable hardcover.

BTW, two of my bestselling books, Simple Money and The Minimalist Wardrobe, are also newly available in hardcover.  They're fully updated, with pictures, and perfect for giving to your loved ones.