DIY Hygge Christmas Decorations
I don’t know why, but for some reason I’ve been so into the Christmas spirit. I have also been very into the concept of hygge. Hygge, (pronounced Hue-guh) is the Danish word which encapsulates coziness, comfort, and enjoying the simple pleasures. Think Scandinavian coziness in the simplest, most romantic form. Hygge is a feeling, it's an experience, it is not a thing, or related to possessions. It's about cultivating that feeling, and then being present to experience it. Hygge is enjoying a warm cup of coffee in the morning enveloped by a cozy robe or blanket. It's the smell of dinner cooking, or the candlelight that dances over a dinner shared with loved ones. Hygge is about slowing down, and savoring the moment. The simpler and more inexpensive something is, the more hygge it is. Hygge and the holidays really go hand-in-hand, so I thought I’d try my hand at making some very simple, very inexpensive holiday decor DIY’s. Keep on reading for all of my ideas.
Holiday Greenery Swag
This was so simple to make. I simply gathered a branch from our noble fir tree, a couple of pine branches found in our friend’s backyard, and a sprig of eucalyptus found at our local farmer’s market. The key is to strip the leaves/pine needles from the ends, arrange your greenery, and then tie them together. I loved using some of the gift wrapping ribbon/string. You can make these little bitty to hang from door handles in your home, or large to hang on your front door. So simple, so hygge, and so good!
Windowsill Vibes
Scandinavian decor often includes a single candle in the window, so I thought I’d recreate my own spin on that tradition with some simple tea light candles and candle holders. The little candle holders were found at Cost Plus World Market for 99 cents each, and the tea lights were bought in bulk for less than 50 cents/candle. I also added a couple sprigs of rosemary to the windowsill because I thought it looked pretty, but you could do pine branches as well.
Rosemary Bouquet
I don’t know why, but for some reason spiky greenery feels very holiday to me. We have a rosemary bush growing outside our house so this was so easy to create. I don’t know why, but I’ve never thought of using rosemary displayed in home. The trick is to pull the leaves off the bottom so it looks less like a cooking ingredient and more like a decor item. This little glass vessel was found at World Market for $2.99. Such a great deal!
Minimalist Christmas Tree Ornaments
I kept seeing these little minimal ornaments on my DIY searches and had to recreate them! I bought glass ornaments from Michael’s on sale 50% off so a set of 8 ornaments cost $3.50. Then I simply used a few cuttings of eucalyptus and noble fir left over from the holiday greenery swag DIY. Measure the size of cuttings you want, drop them into the ornament and place the top back on. It’s that simple. I also want to play around with some gold paint dropped into the bottom of the remaining two ornaments I have.
Gift Wrapping
I love brown paper packages tied up with string! I also love placing a little bit of tree cuttings under the bow. It’s an idea I’ll never get tired of. So simple but beautiful. You can find the brown paper here and red and white bakers twine here. The silver ribbon was found at Michael’s.
Hygge is all about simplicity, coziness, contentment, and handmade! Get creative, and remember you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your home beautiful for the holidays. A few candles glowing with some simple sprigs of rosemary will do the trick!