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Hygge reads, kids edition: Children’s books for winter days

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By Leslie Kotzas

This past year, I’ve spent my days surrounded by the warmest images, the cutest creatures, and fluffiest monsters. Working in the children’s department of the public library in the company of beautiful picture books keeps me warm and cozy in the dark, gray winter. (Librarian plug: Stop by your local library and find a treasure to warm your heart!)

Before you jump to your feet and head out the door, let me share the ones that I’ve found delightful. They’ll make you laugh, make you weep, and make you snuggle under blankets!

Ada Twist, Scientist: This is a great rhyming book that promotes girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Ada gets into some interesting predicaments trying to prove her hypothesis. If you like this one, there are a few more that are just as good: Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer.

Ida Always: Grab your tissues, clutch your baby close, and let the tears flow. Two polar bears that live together in the zoo have to face the fact that Ida is dying. I could only read it once!

Cat Knit: Sometimes our friends change, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t friends. Get out your knitting needles and make a new friend for someone you love.

Nanette’s Baguette: This book rhymes the adventure of Nanette and her responsibility to bring home a baguette for her mother. Want to know what happens to that baguette?

The Messy Book: Do you have a little one that is a little messy? Want to show them that cleaning up isn’t so bad? Then this book is for you!

This is Not a Picture Book: Picture books are clearly the best. However, what about when books stop having pictures? Are they worth it? Check out this book and find out.

Gary: This books made me smile like a fool the whole way through. This pigeon who dreams of doing big things is given the chance despite his disability.

Ideas Are All Around: If the book above doesn’t pique your interest about writing, then follow the author through his books as he looks for ideas to write about.

A Beginner’s Guide to Bear Spotting: Bears are all around in the woods. Do you know what to do if you spot one? Check this one out quick! You’ll be needing this advice!

Miss Moon: Wise Words From A Dog Governess. You’ve got a dog. Find out what advice Miss Moon has to share!

Have anymore picture books you can’t get enough of? Need more recommendations? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook!

 
 

Netflix and Hygge: What to watch this winter

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By Andrea Rogers

It’s cold and snowy (in some parts of the Midwest, at least), and I have come down with an awful cold. So Hygge Week on The Smart Domestic couldn’t have come at a better time, because I’ve become an expert on what to binge-watch from your soft couch, with the the comfort of a cup of tea and warm throw.

Here are my recommendations for what you should stream on Netflix right now:

Stranger Things

It’s not too late to jump on the “Stranger Things” bandwagon. If you love monsters, Winona Ryder, “Goonies,” and “E.T.” then you will love this show.

Holy Hell and Deprogrammed

I am fascinated by cults. The gurus, followers, rituals and propaganda are endlessly appealing to me. These two documentaries complement each other so well, you should consider watching them back to back.

“Holy Hell” is a deep-dive into the Buddhafield cult, which started in the ’80s and is still around today. Buddhafield has all of the trappings of a classic cult (not to be confused with a cult classic): New Age guru, lovey-dovey followers, secretive behaviors, but with a late ‘80s, early ‘90s flair. (The guru wears Speedos, a lot).

“Deprogrammed” is about Ted ‘Black Lightning’ Patrick, a self-trained cult de-programmer who rose to fame in the ‘80s by abducting cult members, bringing them home and mentally breaking them into submission to their parents’ will. Patrick went head-to-head with members of Children of God, Moonies, Hare Krishnas, and more. His tactics landed him in jail, and his critics railed against him, but some parents and former cult members laud him as a savior. Whatever you think about him, he’s interesting.

It Follows

“It Follows” is a scary, original flick that is reminiscent of “Nightmare on Elm Street.” A small, close group of friends fight a supernatural curse that has befallen the protagonist, Jay, after she sleeps with her boyfriend. Like the “Nightmare” teens, Jay and her friends must remain ever-vigilant, as the curse is never far behind. This is one of the best horror movies to come out in recent years, and it just arrived on Netflix.

The Crown

Period dramas are the television equivalent of comfort food; like a delicious bowl of mac and cheese, they are rich, slightly indulgent and oh-so-satisfying. “The Crown” tells the story of the current queen of England, Elizabeth II. This first season focuses on the early years of her reign and her struggle to balance the changing role of monarchy in the British Empire with her personal need to be a wife and mother. (As an aside, I’m really looking forward to future seasons and the portrayal of Princess Diana.)

What are you watching this week? Share your own #netflixandhygge picks with us.

Andrea Rogers loves hygge so much, she wrote two posts for our #hyggeweek series. You can find her at mamawearscombatboots.com or on Twitter @andrearogers.

Photo via Unsplash

Hygge eats: An ode to tomato soup

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By Katie Colt 

Everyone we know these days is stressed. Unending reports of impending doomsday for anyone, everywhere, at any time, take up a lot of emotional space. For some, the world feels like it is on the edge of overwhelming tumult, and it’s a naturally protective measure to self-soothe and seek refuge.

Food has always been a comfort for me, each bite working to quiet my daily anxieties. It’s a fact* that warm, edible liquids make everything better. So for Hygge Week, I’m sharing my unabashed, unadulterated love for tomato soup. Allow me to present the case for tomato soup as the perfect hygge food.

It is a banquet for your senses. Tomato soup glows in a warm ember-red color that nudges you to eat it in front of the fire. Its smooth, earthy-fruity fragrance soothes your nostrils as the logs crackle and burn. Its velvety, rich texture is equally divine as the way it glimmers on your spoon before entering your mouth. The best tomato soup, a perfect marriage of tempered creaminess and acidity, tickles the taste buds before sliding down into one’s belly—like a Sade song for your gastrointestinal tract.**

Anything you add to it is made exponentially better. A perfectly pan-toasted Gouda grilled cheese? Dip it right in. Stale wheat toast onto which you melted questionable shredded cheese? Throw it in there. Avocado slices or a heaping spoonful of leftover guac add an extra element of heartiness. My personal favorite addition: Ready-made cheese tortellini. While the soup is simmering on the stove, toss those puppies in and cook until warm and tender. It’s an adult update on SpaghettiOs, and the bit of nostalgia in each bite makes my heart smile.***

It is also extremely satisfying by itself. Despite its ability to improve other ingredients, tomato soup needs no one. It is strong; it is independent. And it is filling, with no croutons or crackers required. Even though it feels like a guilty pleasure, it doesn’t have to be. (My grocery store favorite is Amy’s Organic Light in Sodium Chunky Tomato Bisque, a mouthful to say, but a mouthful you’ll thank yourself for consuming. It makes up for the lack of salt with a hint of sweet.) I never regret making myself a can for an easy, yet soul-satisfying lunch.

What foods bring you joy and warmth? Share your favorite hygge ideas with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (or here in the comments).

*Editor’s note: Apparently Katie has accepted the new American definition of “fact,” and I can’t disagree with this statement about warm foods.
**Editor’s note, again: Bet you didn’t see that line coming, huh? I definitely didn’t.
***Hey, it’s Suzanne here: I tried SpaghettiOs at some point a few months ago when my kid rejected them, and I’d much rather go for this adult take.

Katie Colt lives in Chicago with her husband and son James. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @katiebabyhorse for her musings on motherhood, music, and more. 

Hygge decor: 7 ideas to help you forget your hatred of winter

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By Meryl Williams

I do not care for winter.

I do not care for it so much that I moved to a climate where I believed it would not touch me, but it turns out that the gray of the Pacific Northwest does worse for my mental health than snow. So now I’m back in my native Midwest! I have decided to embrace winter, and the hygge decor around my new apartment helps. (So has global warming and a very mild-weathered 2017, but that’s another story.)

If you’re feeling some cabin fever, hygge up your place with these decor ideas.

Fake fireplace cover:

The best-case scenario for a new place is that it comes with a working fireplace. The second-best case is that you get a really pretty non-working one. My apartment has the latter, so I like having a cover up against it to keep me from feeling sad about not actually being able to use it.

Tiny, white lights everywhere:

As we all know, tiny bright lights are for all of winter, not just the holidays. These ones I Scotch-taped to my fake fireplace are twee *and* offer a flattering soft lighting option. (Editor’s note from Suzanne: Bright Lab offers some cute ones!)

Cats on blankets:

So hygge. Go get you some cats.

Assorted coffee mugs, zero glassware:

Who needs gold-leaf-rimmed wine glasses when I have a perfectly good mug whose message leads people to believe I read more than I actually do? Coffee mugs make every beverage a winter beverage: Tea, LaCroix, root beer, you name it. Hygge. It. Up.

Stacks of books:

Speaking of literature, look at all these pretty library books I fully intend to read over winter, even though I know I’m just gonna end up re-reading all seven Harry Potter books instead! They make excellent decorations!

Cross stitches:

I did not make these! My talented sister-in-law did, and my apartment benefits from them. Not only are they adorable and politically in line with my views, but visitors constantly compliment them. (Editor’s note again: Here are two cute options to buy for your own home.)

Lots of dang foxes and birch trees:

Snow is terrible, but foxes attempting to dig through it are adorable. Pepper your home with IKEA birch tree branches and fox art, and you’ll forget how much you loathe January.

Have at it! May hygge get you through until spring!

Meryl Williams is a writer working on a collection of essays about learning to play roller derby. If you want to see more of her writing, sign up for The Sleeper Hit newsletter or find her on Twitter (@merylwilliams).

Hygge listening: Curl up, plug in, and pay attention to these podcasts

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By Andrea Rogers

Hygge is all about taking pleasure in the small things and being present, so it might not immediately bring to mind your smartphone and earbuds.

But thanks to a boom in podcasting over the last couple years and a trend toward higher production values, better writing, and professional voice acting, I’m just as likely to listen to a podcast as read a book.

In honor of hygge week on The Smart Domestic, here are a few podcasts to savor.

 You Must Remember This: Six Degrees of Joan Crawford

You Must Remember This is devoted to the untold stories of Hollywood. The creator, Karina Longworth, describes the most recent season, which focuses on Joan Crawford, as a “beach read.”

Imagine yourself lounging with a swanky old-time cocktail (a Paper Plane, perhaps?) listening to the scandalous exploits of Crawford, a self-made star who expertly used her sexuality, wit, and drive to conquer Hollywood. With great music, sound effects, and excellent narration, you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked back to the golden age of Hollywood.

Stranglers

Stranglers is my top podcast recommendation at the moment, and if you were a fan of Serial, you’ll love it. The show’s creator, Portland Helmich, takes on the case of the Boston Strangler, one of America’s most notorious serial murderers.

Through recordings, interviews, and re-enactments, Helmich peals back each layer of the case to reveal that it was likely multiple murderers who committed these crimes. She paints a detailed portrait of the terror that gripped the women of Boston at the time, and interweaves the perspectives of victims, law enforcement, and superstar defense attorney F. Lee Bailey (lawyer for O.J. Simpson and Patty Hearst) to create a story that will really suck you in.

The NoSleep Podcast

The NoSleep Podcast is a horror fiction show with several stories in each episode. Stories run anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, and you’ll find some top talent among the writers and voice actors. Occasionally, the show will do an hour-long special edition. I highly recommend the Season 7 finale, “Borrasca.”

And sure, you can listen to NoSleep in the car or while you’re doing chores. But where’s the hygge in that? Turn down the lights, grab a blanket (you just might want to pull it over your head), and in the spirit of old-timey radio, enjoy these chilling stories.

In between watching horror movies and perfecting her eyeliner wings, Andrea Rogers tries to focus on adult pursuits including a career in PR and marketing, motherhood, and marriage. She blogs about the four Ms she likes most (music, movies, make-up and monsters) at mamawearscombatboots.com. Follow her on Twitter @andrearogers.

Photo by Alice Moore via Unsplash

 

Hygge reads: What to read that’s cozy and comforting

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By Hillary Copsey 

Nothing is cozier than a good book and a comfortable chair. I’d argue that’s all you really need for hygge, though sure, add in a blanket, a cup of tea, and an early twilight so you can flip pages in the warm glow of a reading lamp.

For maximum coziness, consider these books.

The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien:

Hobbits understand hygge, so consider the parts of this book set at Bag End in The Shire to be instructions for maximizing the comfort of your own home. Same for the interlude at Rivendell, though elves are a bit more ostentatious in their luxuries. And when Bilbo and the dwarves are adventuring, pull your blanket around you and be thankful you don’t have to face off with Gollum in a cold, dank cave.

The Bullet, Mary Louise Kelly:

A tense criminal mystery with the added intrigue of mistaken identity, this novel will keep your pulse pounding and show you, in comparison to the protagonist, who finds a bullet mysteriously lodged in her neck, just how snug and secure you really are.

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling:

Magic is real. Friendship saves the day. Humor drives away boggarts. Good defeats evil. Happy endings are very hygge.

Alif The Unseen, G. Willow Wilson:

Equal parts fairytale, sci-fi thriller, and love story, this is the kind of book that keeps you up all night. At the very least, you’ll want a second cup of tea so you can read just a few chapters more.

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery:

What’s cozier than a childhood favorite? I’m assuming my childhood favorite is one of yours, too, but c’mon, who doesn’t love Anne Shirley? Who hasn’t wanted a bosom friend as loyal as Diana? Who didn’t dream about Gilbert Blythe? If you are the exception, pick one of your own beloved books to reread and remember what it felt like to be a child, completely transported to some other place, some other time, just through the magic of the written word.

Writer Hillary Copsey wants to #MakeAmericaReadAgain. Find her on Twitter @HillaryCopsey or sign up for her forthcoming newsletter about reading, books, and discovering new perspectives in the modern world. 

Photo via Unsplash

How to be hygge: Our favorite cozy things

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Winter has some terrible qualities, particularly if you live in an area that’s icy, slushy, or gray. But the season is a good excuse to cuddle indoors under a cozy blanket, binge-watch TV shows, read something comforting (or thoughtful or thrilling), and treat yourself to a snack.

When I heard the term hygge for the first time, I was captivated. It’s a Danish word that’s defined in a variety of ways, including “the art of building sanctuary and community,” “coziness,” and “making everyday moments more meaningful or special.” It may be a distant cousin to our English word hug. And it’s a term that’s become en vogue in recent years, particularly in the coldest months.

Since we’re in the depths of Midwest winter, with weeks of frigid weather to get through, I’ve declared this Hygge Week at The Smart Domestic. I asked some friends for suggestions on simple pleasures, and they’ve obliged with recommendations.

To kick things off, I’m recommending some creature comforts to help set the mood for us.

DRINK

We’re partial to Earl Grey tea in our house, but I also like herbal tea for late-night sipping. I’m eyeing this honeybush hazelnut as a caffeine-free option. (The tea shop I’ve linked is owned by a co-worker here in Ohio.)

If you’re a coffee drinker, I endorse A Love Supreme blend by Chicago’s Dark Matter Coffee. You deserve good coffee in your life, and this one is my all-time favorite with notes of cocoa, walnut, and cherry. If you want to slum it with something from your local grocery store or Amazon, I like Peet’s light roast. I’m also a sucker for novelty mugs, and this one by Adam J. Kurtz is my current “mug wishlist.”

EAT

Whimsy and Spice is an online sweets shop based in New York, and I’d like to try the chocolate butterscotch bars or some of their chocolate shortbread cookies.

If you prefer the Amazon Prime route, you can always go for some sea-salt caramel chocolates.

SNUGGLE

We have many throw blankets; I endorse this soft, machine-washable blanket as an all-purpose one (it’s often commissioned for pillow-fort building here). If I splurged on something new, I’d go for this modern blanket made of recycled fiber.

Who’s ready to get hygge? What’s your secret for staying cozy during dreary weather (or when you need some self-soothing nights at home)?