Who doesn’t love a cozy winter night? 

I’ve always found winter morning routines to be difficult, but I have consistently enjoyed the winter evenings. There is something so beautiful about the comfort of a quiet evening bundled up in blankets and reading by candlelight, snow falling outside.

But a hygge winter night doesn’t come without some effort.

I’ve got ten simple elements that are guaranteed to warm up your winter nights. Try all of them or just a few; they will go a long way in helping you to enjoy a cozy and warm winter evening. 

And if you want more ideas, you can also check out the suggestions for a fall evening routine. A lot of those ideas can be used in the winter, as well! 

Clean, clean, clean!

If you do nothing else on this list, at least try this one! It’s amazing what a clean space can do for you.

Your evening will instantly feel more comfortable and cozy if you just clean your home. It doesn’t require too much effort, either. Your house doesn’t need to be spotless, it just has to be comfortable to live in. Put your clothes in the laundry, clean the dishes, clear the tables…things like that. It will really help you settle into your hygge night routine. If you don’t want to do a lot of cleaning all at once you can download a cleaning app that will keep track of your cleaning schedule.

Need more help keeping your house clean? Read this post: Make cleaning up a task of simplicity

Have lots of natural elements in your home

I always love this tip, because it doesn’t cost a penny if you don’t want it to!

Go outside and collect some natural items that look nice to you. Rocks or sticks make for surprisingly nice decorative material.

You can also decorate with twine and burlap, or you can buy furniture that has elements of wood in them. Baskets are also nice earthy decorations to add. Bring a bit of nature into your home and watch how it will warm up your winter nights. I mention a few of these items in another article about how to decorate your Thanksgiving table. If you want more inspiration, you could check that out! A lot of those items can be reused for winter decor.

Make a plant area

While we’re on the topic of nature, you can also try to create an area for plants to grow in your home. Winter is beautiful, but it is severely lacking in outdoor greenery. It helps to have some greenery of your own growing inside the house.

For the art of Hygge, it is suggested that you opt for keeping all of your plants close together instead of dispersing them throughout the house. Choose a place in your home that will gather all of your plants. Your Hygge night routine will be greatly improved by it. 

Hang some fairy lights

Fairy lights are something called “warm lights”. It means that they bring a warm glow to the room rather than a harsh, but effective, “cold light”. Wherever you want to warm up your house, add some fairy lights. The living room might be a good place to start, but try to put it wherever you spend the majority of your evening. 

Read by Candlelight 

Another warm light that can aid a cozy and warm winter evening is a candle. You can get scented or unscented. You can get one or many. It is all based on your own preferences, so think about what makes you feel comfortable and go with that.

Reading while surrounded by soft light and flickering candles is guaranteed to warm up your winter nights! 

Listen to Atmospheric Music

Music can really transport you to another world. If you are aiming for comfort and warmth, it helps to pair your Hygge night routine with some music that exemplifies that. Go with what makes you comfortable and at ease. 

Fill your house with cozy textures

This is most likely going to be in the form of blankets and pillows, but you could also introduce area rugs, table cloths, and other such items into the mix, as well!

I can’t tell you what to get here because it matters that you find it cozy and comfortable. Go to a home decor store and have fun feeling all the different textures. You will start to get an understanding of what you prefer after you’ve experimented with everything.

I personally like to fill my space with things that are a combination of fluffy and heavy. I’ll get some fluffy pillows and mix them with heavy blankets, or heavier pillows paired with light, fluffy blankets.

Keep your kitchen stocked with sweet treats and warm drinks

To me, winter is an indulgent season. I practice mindful eating rather than dieting, and I am very careful about what I feed my body. Winter, however, is the time of year when I am least restrictive. I eat foods that are heavier than usual and give in to sweet cravings more often than any other season.

That doesn’t mean I gorge on candy every night, but I do tend to have a little more desserts and sweet beverages than usual. Hot chocolate, pomegranate, dates, and dark chocolate are my go-to sweets in the winter, and I like to keep my kitchen stocked with those items.

I also do a lot more baking in the winter, so there’s usually a cookie or muffin that I can enjoy, as well. Sitting down at the end of the night with a warm cup of chocolate chai tea and a gingersnap is one of my favourite parts of my own Hygge night routine. 

Make a bigger effort to keep your feet warm

Last winter, I had started to have trouble with something called chilblains on my toes.

Sounds strange, I know.

It is a sore area on the toes or fingers that come as a result of constant exposure to cold. It forced me to put a lot more care into my feet, but the habits I developed to care for my feet actually became a very comforting routine for me. I would recommend it to anyone who struggles with cold feet in the winter.

I start with a warm foot bath, followed by a quick massage with sesame oil. When I’m done, I put cotton socks on until it’s time for bed. Then I take my heating pad and put it under the covers at the foot of my bed. I take off my socks and fall asleep with my feet resting on the heating pad.

I don’t know what it is about it, but having warm feet automatically makes me feel so cozy! 

 Spend time with the people you love

I saved the best for last!

The absolute best feeling in the winter is spending time cuddling up to the people you love. Reading together, playing games by candlelight, watching a show…whatever it is you choose to do, you will instantly warm up your winter nights if you do them with good company.

Winter is such a lovely time to foster community, and you can start by being intentional about your winter evening routine. 

Conclusion

I hope some of these suggestions inspired you to spice up your own winter evening routine today! If you want more ideas, you can check out my suggestions for a fall evening routine.

The fall routine is a little more indulgent because I believe that fall is a critical time to focus on your personal health.

Winter, on the other hand, is a great time to enjoy the company of family and friends. It still has a lot of cozy components but puts a greater emphasis on the social aspect of the night.

However you choose to structure your night routine, I hope that you enjoy it to the fullest! 

What about you? 

What kinds of things do you do in the winter to maintain good mental and physical health? Is there anything you wish you could change? Share it in the comments below- I’d love to hear from you!