The length of time from sunrise to sunset in Skagen, Denmark, is six hours and thirty one minutes on Winter Solstice, with the sun rising at 8:59am and setting at 3:31pm.
That's...a lot of darkness.
Which is why it is no surprise that the Danes invented the concept of hygge, derived from the 16th century Norwegian word hugga, meaning "to comfort or console," and now used as a soft snuggly blanket term to describe the state of feeling warm, comfortable, and safe.
Hygge reached the North American masses in 2016 as the concept exploded all over the seasonal sections at stores, promoting a desired lifestyle of quiet togetherness for the winter.
To prepare for the upcoming dark season, here's your Holiday Road Adventures Hygge kit instructions!
The World-Renowned HRA Hygge Kit*
The amount of people in your house multiplied by four = the number of fleece blankets that should be in reach at all times.
The makings for mulled wine, Glögg, and Glühwein on hand. While they are all the same basic recipe, it's best to be culturally appropriate and try all three. For science.
Head to your nearest Target or Walmart and load an entire cart with the scented candle aisle. Bonus points if it is full of nothing but Glade holiday scented candles, including Cashmere Woods, Pine Wonderland, Sugar Plum Fantasies, and Cozy Cider Sipping.
Queue up the Nordic Playlist: Cozy Music for a Calm, Hygge Home on Spotify.
Order at least five new boardgames for delivery. Here are some great suggestions!
Light a fire. Preferable in your fireplace. If you do not have a fireplace, put on the fireplace from your favorite streaming service.
Surround yourself with enough books to construct a seven foot Jenga tower. In fact, play book Jenga and read whichever book made the tower topple.
Your dog. Or cat. But probably not an axolotl, as they are not very cuddly.
Your favorite family members.
And now, you too, are ready to get Hygge with it!
*future world-renowned, which it will be when you share this post on your social media.