In a good mug, mostly. I love the idea of fine bone china and a saucer, but have to admit when it comes to work a good, strong, solid earthenware mug is what I truly need.

This one is one of a pair that my daughter bought me as part of my Christmas presents last year. The Husband has the one that says The Boss. And we sit every morning and have a short work break together, cafetiere of coffee and a chance to discuss home and business issues. It’s a habit we developed during Covid, when Peter was working from home and I was unemployable because he was using my computer to remotely access the system. Every day was almost like a weekend day, so we had our shared cafetiere before he went off to work in the front room and I went off to pootle around the house or garden.

We always have flavoured coffee as well. Back thirty years ago we visited my Aunt in New York (New Jersey, but she worked in the Big Apple) and she had vanilla flavoured coffee. I wasn’t a great coffee drinker at the time, but that one I could handle. It’s been our weekend morning treat ever since. We’ve tried a few coffee suppliers, but our favourite now and the one we repeat-order from at least twice a year is Dreamy Bean Coffee. We like their vanilla coffee, the orange mocha and the chocolate cherry best. Delicious.

It’s a small pause in an otherwise busy day, but so important to us that when, through necessity, we have to do without we really miss it. And it’s not the dose of caffeine we miss, so much as the pause, the space to discuss stuff and a chance to catch up on life, the universe and everything. Even working in the same office, you still need to take the opportunity to communicate clearly.

How to Hygge the British Way is my gift to the world. I don’t get paid for writing it, I’m not in it for the kudos, financial rewards, to become an influencer, work with brands or otherwise make any money from the blog. That’s why there are no ads, and any products I mention and recommend have either been gifted to me or bought by me with my everyday wages or donations from supporters. Every book I review has been bought and read by me, unless stated otherwise.

I do get a couple of pennies each time someone buys from the Amazon links on my page, as an Amazon Affiliate, but otherwise if you’d like to support me, I like to give something back in return. That’s why I write books. It always feels good if you get a book back in return for some money. You can find a full list of my books at my Author’s Page on Amazon, but especially recommended for this time of year are:

Cosy Happy Hygge: Setting up a rhythm to life and rituals to enjoy it to make for a more balanced life that handles waves and storms better. Lent is a season of rituals and resets. The book has small and easy ways to make your life flow with grace and happiness, which lead to more hygge.

Happier: Probably my most personal book, it’s the story of how I used hygge and the little things in life to help boost my happiness. I still go back and reread to remind myself what I need to do to be a happy human. And it’s always the little things.

Is it too early to think ahead? My Christmas books are always available: Have Yourself a Happy Hygge Christmas is a good place to start, on how to make the season cosier, happier. Celebrating a Contagious Christmas was written during covid year, but has useful advice on celebrating when times are hard anyway and Enjoying a Self-Care Christmas is a short e-book on keeping Christmas simpler, easier and better for you, your waistline and your budget. It even includes 25+ suggestions for self-care activities over Christmas, as simple as sipping tea, keeping a list journal or lighting a candle. Bigger is not always better for Christmas.

I’m currently working on two book projects: I have a hankering to rewrite 50 Ways to Hygge the British Way, so it’s not available at the moment, but even dearer to my heart and my next stated aim is to finish and publish my next book, Simple Plus Cosy = Hygge. It will be about homemaking and how the home we create shapes the hygge we have. Hopefully it will be finished by the end of summer/autumn/winter.

If you’d like to support me, but don’t want to buy a book, I have a Paypal.Me account as Hygge Jem. Every little helps, so even a few pence goes towards the books, goods and courses I use and recommend on the site. I’m grateful for every little bit that brings me closer to my dream of full-time writing, and I know I couldn’t still be writing if it weren’t for the support of many readers and friends out there. Thank you all for every little bit of support, emotional, physical and financial, you give me.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, don’t forget to share it or save it so others can enjoy reading, thinking about and living hygge as well.

The photo between post and promotions is by Arno Smit on Unsplash. I wish I had a garden shed like this one! I chose it because I love the colours of the windowframes, the tantalisingly inviting open door and the comfy chair within. Perfect spot for a cup of tea and a good book. And the header today is my mug, filled with coffee and ready to work.