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Instead of a stress-filled New Year’s eve, focus on your family and hygge! Get all the stress-free New Year’s hygge ideas you need right here!

Hygge at New Year’s 

Can you believe another year is almost over? It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year!

This year, try something different on New Year’s Eve. No more stressing, going out in the freezing cold, feeling overwhelmed and tired hours before midnight, instead have a hyggelig New Year’s Eve at home with the kids!

Wait, what is hygge? And why do I need it in my life?!

Don’t miss our “Hygge 101: How to Get Started with Hygge” post – it’s your one-stop hygge resource!

Remember, hygge is about coziness, feeling comfortable, no-stress and simply an overall feeling of satisfaction and contentment. 

Here is how to hygge at New Year’s: 

• Have a pajama party
  • Who wants to dress in a sequin party dress when you can dress down for the occasion?
  • Have your entire family or friends wear their pajamas.
  • Instead of squeezing into a pair of heels, Spanx and that uncomfortable dress, slip on a pair of warm fuzzy socks and your favorite pair of pajamas. Nothing says “hygge” like being comfortable and snuggly.

• Play games together
  • Break out the old board games, video games, or even a deck of card and spend the night playing games you haven’t touched in years! When was the last time you played Sorry!, Monopoly, The Game of Life (a classic), Risk, Chutes and Ladders, or Candy Land? Cards Against Humanity is a personal favorite of mine, if the kids are NOT around.
  • You’re never too old for a fun game! If you want to kick things up a notch, consider making up your own game to play on New Year’s Eve.
  • These fun activities for the whole family by Wunder-Mom are perfect for a New Year’s eve at home with kids. 

• Make your own warm beverages
  • Pour apple cider, hot cocoa, or even a cup of tea to enjoy while you wait for the clock to strike midnight. Hot beverages are reported as one of the best ways to hygge when it’s cold outside.
  • Try the Scandinavian mulled wine as a warm (alcoholic) hyggelig beverage.
  • Create a hot cocoa bar for the kids (and kids at heart) with a variety of fun mix-in ideas. Some personal favorites are candy canes, marshmallows, candy bars and chocolate chips.
  • These New Year’s Eve count down cookies by Wunder-Mom go perfectly with any of the above mentioned hot beverages. They are also fun for kids learning to tell time! 

• Unplug for the evening
  • Who says you have to watch the ball drop to ring in the new year?There’s no need to listen to hours of bad lip-syncing, stale commentary and all the other performances on TV.
  • In fact, you don’t need a device at all to enjoy your New Year’s Eve celebration! Instead of being hooked up for the evening, unplug all devices! Spend the time with your loved ones talking about the year that passed, crafting, making a puzzle or reading aloud.
  • Craft ideas:
    • New Years Eve DIY party hats by Meaningful Mama.
    • New Years Eve DIY party straw noisemakers also by Meaningful Mama.
    • Resolution bracelets by Moms and Crafters.
    • New Year’s Eve craft for toddlers by Playground Parkbench.

• Indulge in comfort food
  • Party appetizers are great, but let’s be real. Cocktail weenies don’t exactly feed an army. Instead of feeling bad for going in for seconds, or wishing you had something more filling to eat, indulge in comfort foods!
  • Hygge happens when we enjoy good savory foods.
  • A hearty pasta, stew, soup or chili will take a fraction of the time to make, compared to all those tiny finger foods. Comfort food keep you full and warm for hours.

• Make a blanket fort
  • For the finale, I figured we would go a little old school with a blanket fort!  This is always a crowd-pleaser with the kids!
  • My favorite childhood New Year’s Eve memories were when my sister and I pulled out every sleeping bag, blanket and pillow and created a fort on the living room floor. Nothing says hygge like a good snuggly blanket fort!
  • Top off the perfect no-stress evening of coziness, hygge, great food and drinks with a blanket fort and remember, it’s OK to leave a mess!

Still wondering what hygge is and why you need it in your life?!

Don’t miss our “Hygge 101: How to Get Started with Hygge” post – it’s your one-stop hygge resource!

New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to be stressful, anti-climatic, tiring or disappointing! As you can see, there are a number of fun ways you can ring in the new year with lots of hygge and without all the stress.

What are your hyggelig New Year’s Eve plans now that you’ve read this post?