Happiness is always there. You just have to choose to see it. There’s no point dwelling in the dark and ignoring the light of the stars.”

― Carrie Hope Fletcher

It’s Christmas time, a time when the year is (in the Northern hemisphere at least) dipping into its darkest and deepest winter period. I think it’s no coincidence that so many religions or denominations put a festival at the very centre of midwinter, just when our vitamin D is lowest, the cold is worst and we feel like hibernating. It’s like a primeval urge to seek out something warm, positive and full of the juice of the Sun.

Diwali, Hanukkah, the Solstice, Christmas. Add in Hallowe’en, All Saints, the Bonfire Plot and Candlemas and midwinter has more than its fair share of winter festivals.

I’m not going to argue about whether Christmas is a pagan feast that Christians took over or that the Christians chose a date that happened to be a pagan feast. Owen Jarus on Live Science wrote that there were two possible theories: one is that Christmas was set to take over the feast of Sol Invictus, of Mithras, which happened on December 25th in the Roman Empire. Another is that early Christians set the date by estimating dates of conception, birth and death. I personally like the idea that 25th December is the first day after the Solstice, the standing still of the Sun at its lowest point, when you can actually feel the day has gone a little longer. It’s the first step on the hill out of Winter.

Having had seasonal affective disorder badly in the past, and having taken precautions to guard against it in the future, I’m very invested in the symbolism of light bringing happiness. This month of December isn’t too bad, actually. The Christmas lights, music and preparations carry me through, but in January I am grateful that I can chart the improving light. I can start to look ahead, and notice the light nights coming along. I follow the same idea with happiness. I might be feeling sour, tired, low and lonely but there is always a chance of a skyfull of stars even on the darkest night. Look up, keep your eyes peeled and even the blackest clouds can suddenly split to reveal the beauty of the stars.

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.