Beat the Minnesota Winter Blues w/ a Popular Scandinavian Tradition

After an unusually warm February, we're getting smacked with a big snowstorm here in southeast Minnesota. While many people were probably already experiencing the winter blues, this blizzard doesn't really help. I've discovered something we can do to combat the winter blues though. It's a Scandinavian tradition that has become very popular in Minnesota.

This Scandinavian tradition is called hygge (pronounced hue-guh). Hygge is defined as "a feeling of comfort, contentment and coziness in many Scandinavian countries, but it's grown in recent years to become an entire lifestyle movement." KARE 11 spoke with Natalie Conrad, who is the communications manager for Minneapolis Northwest Tourism, about hygge in Minnesota.

Here is a list of ideas so you can also adopt the hygge lifestyle:

Hygge in bakeries

Nothing is better than grabbing a warm cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, a delicious bakery item, and cozying up to a fireplace.

Hygge in shops

There are tons of shops in Minnesota that fit the hygge style. Any shop selling cozy blankets, clothing, candles, etc. is exactly what you need. Grab your favorite and add it to your home!

Get our free mobile app

Hygge in the outdoors

Spend time enjoying the outdoors and, as KARE 11 writes, enjoying "all of winter's outdoor charm." You can go ice skating, skiing, and snowboarding. Afterward, warm up inside, ideally by a fireplace, hot chocolate in hand, and a warm blanket around you.

Hygge at home

Of course, with the winter storm, we're likely not going too many places over the next day or so. Some great ways to bring hygge into your home are turning on warm, soft lighting, lighting a candle, and cozying up in some comfy clothes and under your favorite blanket. If you have a fireplace, get that thing going, grab a book or turn on your favorite show with a warm drink. Mmmm, doesn't that sound so nice?

And another big thing about hygge is it's important to do these things with others as well. I think this hygge lifestyle is something I can get behind!