Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty is only skin deep.

Beauty. It’s a peculiar word, and it means different things to different people. It’s quite possible to think of beauty just as a physical attribute, but I think real beauty in people is always more to do with their nature than their looks. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines beauty as “The quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit.” So much more than merely physical, then.

The Beauty of Christmas lies in its spiritual, ephemeral nature. Christmas has a beauty of spirit, a kindness of thought and action to others that can render the ugliest person beautiful. Like in a Grimm Fairytale, if we look at the intentions of a person we can see the beauty within, and that is more valuable than any cosmetic beauty.

The home lovingly decorated by the children may lack the symmetry of a professional’s touch, but makes up for it in the beauty of purpose. The party organised by a group of friends may lack the decorations or facilities of a big event, but carries more beauty because in their cooperation lies a layer of love and beauty that money just can’t buy. And the beauty of a festival that, while so desperately promoted as a consumerist dream, rests ultimately on the smallest of changes: a new baby, for Christians, heralding a new dawn of brotherly love, or a new season of light announcing its presence with hope and happiness ahead for all mankind. The Beauty of Christmas rests, not in the physical appearance, but always, always in the heart.

Please feel free to join in, either in the comments sections of each post or by hashtagging posts on Instagram or Twitter with #24wordsofchristmas and # your word that day. I love seeing different people take an idea and run with it, so if my list of words doesn’t apply to your Christmas, take them, change them and use the ones that do. Hygge is a very individual feeling, and no more so than at Christmas when personal memories, likes and dislikes and attitudes come to the fore.

I have a massive favour to ask….

I don’t monetise my blog. I don’t run adverts, take sponsorship for writing posts or use affiliate links. I want everything I do on this blog and in my hygge life outside to be truthful. If I promote a book it’s because I’ve read it and like it, if I  point out an item it’s because it’s impressed me on its own merits and not because the publicist has talked me into it. It does mean I don’t run giveaways and I’m not chasing followers, but the drawback is that I need to find a way to support myself.

That’s why I write books. My thoughts are that if I ask you to buy a book not only does it support me, and let me keep writing as an independent writer, but you get something back for your bucks. I’ve written several books, some on hygge, some on Christmas. If you like what you read here, or in the Hygge Nook, and you’d like to support a struggling writer, would you please consider buying a book? Ebooks give you the best value, since for 2 or 3 pounds you get the content of the book, but I’d be a pretty poor writer if I didn’t appreciate the beauty of a real book in the hand. If you buy just one book, it all adds up in the end to support me, and I’d be so grateful.

I have three Christmas books,

Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas was released in September 2017 and is available again in paperback and ebook version. It looks at keeping the Christmas season warm and cosy, with ideas for activities and routines to keep Christmas happy.

A (Hygge) Christmas Carol is my look at Dickens’ immortal classic and the many lessons we still learn from it today. It contains the full text of the book as well as hyggely thoughts on the story.

Enjoying a Self Care Christmas is only available in ebook version. It’s about keeping Christmas simple enough and healthy enough to keep you sane in the process.

My other books are hygge related, 50 Ways to Hygge the British Way  was my first book, and is available in Paperback and Kindle version. It’s a simple look at ways to feel more hyggely in life and at home even though we’re not Danish and don’t have it in our DNA.

How to Hygge Your Summer, in Paperback and Kindle form, has lots of good ideas for the summer months. I strongly believe that hygge is so much more than throws and warm drinks.

Happier is my fourth book. It’s about how I boost my own happiness levels. It’s full of hints, tips and ideas for you to use and adapt to suit your own situation. It is available in ebook and paperback version from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

If you buy any of the books through the links on this page, I get a couple of extra pence per copy, in Amazon vouchers which go towards buying more books to review for the blog. I’d really love it if you’d support me monetarily, but I quite understand that cash is tight for many people, and I just love having your support via reading and commenting as well.