I need to get a review done for November some time soon! But this Friday is not it.

Instead, a quote from a book that I may well review at some point in the future. This is from Blissful Christmas by Jennifer Melville, which I bought back in February (yes, I plan ahead) but haven’t settled down to read until now. I’m part way through, but this paragraph caught my eye:

The truth is, I like the feeling of emptiness and the sense of quiet this time of year brings about. The late glow of the afternoon light makes me want to nestle in, cuddle up and loosen my grip. There is comfort in the quiet that November offers if you allow yourself to tune out the noise and distraction around you.

Jennifer Melville, Blissful Christmas

I’m off to a Wintering retreat tomorrow at my church inspired, I think, by Wintering by Katherine May. Both books share the idea that Winter, far from being the season of busy and bustle that modern society has invented, is a time for slowing down, for breathing out and for taking that space to recover from what was, in the pre-industrial past, the busiest periods of harvest, gathering food, slaughtering animals.

In pre-electrical days (indeed, in pre-gaslight days) a household relied on candles which were expensive, sometimes smelt badly and were not to be used rashly by most households. Some might say with the price of electricity we’re almost back at those days or, at least, that we need to break our reliance on 24/7/365 living. The cost to both the Earth and our spirits is too great.

I have no idea what my retreat will hold. Definitely some painting, because it’s hosted by a local artist, Maggie Hilditch, probably some meditation, possibly journalling. I have to take some images of winter, perhaps some object that relate to winter and have meaning for me. I’m wondering about taking my candle, my mug and my blanket. My cosiness. Funnily enough, my images are mostly snow, even though the chances of me getting a snowfall bad enough to stop me getting to work are slim to non-existent. Snow, that blanketing, that blankness, that covering the normal. That all seems part of my wintering.

I’ll share images of the retreat if I take any. I’ll definitely share any artwork produced.

Until then, keep safe, keep warm and allow yourself to retreat if you need to.

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.

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 spring/summer.

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 Laura Nyhuis on Unsplash. I’m using it from now until January as a real reminder of the power of light. I loved the simplicity of the shot, the focus on the one candle, the reminder that there are many lights out there if we open our hearts to them and the combination of candle and nature in creating a cosy Christmas.