What is Hygge? A Family Story of Slow Living, Quilting, and Intentional Life
When an unexpected snowstorm hit our home, it reminded me of my 94-year-old grandpa—and the Scandinavian philosophy he lives by to not just survive winter, but truly enjoy it. From family quilts to intentional winter projects, this story explores how Hygge inspires slow living, creativity, and meaningful experiences you can bring into your own life.
When an unexpected spring snowfall hit our home in Sisters, OR this week, it reminded me of something my 94-year-old grandpa has mastered: how to not just survive winter—but truly enjoy it.
I have a powerhouse of a grandpa. Chances are, you’ve heard me tell stories about him—and for good reason. He’s 94, lives on his own in his split-level home in North Dakota, and somehow continues to outpace most people half his age.
He works out multiple times a week (sometimes with a personal trainer), stays active in his church, meets friends for dinner several nights a week, and after my grandma passed, even taught himself how to cook. In the evenings, you’ll find him learning—always learning—or thoughtfully organizing his home and assets with deep care for the family he loves.
He’s a realist. He’s independent. And he’s thriving.
People often ask (and I’ve wondered myself): how does someone live alone through a North Dakota winter and not just survive—but truly live?
Our Norwegian heritage holds the answer.
What is Hygge?
We’re 100% Norwegian—something I talk about often and something my kids have come to cherish too. In Scandinavian culture, there’s a mindset around winter: instead of resisting it, you prepare for it.
This is where Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) comes in.
Hygge is a Scandinavian lifestyle practice rooted in coziness, intention, and presence. It’s about creating an environment—and a mindset—that allows you to slow down and savor life, especially during the long, dark winter months.
During the summer, you prepare. You choose a project. You gather what you need—candles, cozy socks, soft blankets. You bake, you plan, you create space.
And when winter arrives, you settle in and embrace it fully.
My 94-years-young Grandpa in his garage next to part of his rock collection.
My Grandpa’s Hygge Practice
My grandpa lives this out beautifully.
One winter, he built and painted birdhouses for every family member—each one uniquely designed and full of personality.
Another year, he took on something even more meaningful: generations of family photos. There were suitcases full of them—loose, black-and-white memories spanning decades.
He carefully sorted through each one, making a simple but powerful decision: if he still knew who was in the photo, he kept it. If he didn’t, he let it go—believing that if he couldn’t remember, no one else would either.
The photos he kept were placed into albums, each one labeled in his handwriting with who was in the picture, what they were doing, and an approximate year.
What a gift.
That’s Hygge.
It’s intentional.
It’s creative.
It’s about caring for your future self—and the people you love.
How Hygge Shows Up in My Life Today
The more I think about it, the more I realize this philosophy is woven into so much of my life—and my business.
We come from a long line of quilters, and recently, our daughter Lilly decided to combine that heritage with her mathematical brain to design her very first quilt pattern.
Her Hygge Braid Quilt Pattern is a reflection of this exact mindset: slow craft, thoughtful design, and making something beautiful from what you already have. Whether it’s scraps, a jelly roll, or those carefully collected 1/4-yard cuts, she designed it to minimize waste while keeping the largest pieces of fabric intact—so you’re left with usable strips for future projects instead of random 4-inch rectangles (my mind was blown).
It’s quilting as a form of intentional living—a creative hobby that invites you to slow down, settle in, and savor the process. If you’d like to try it for yourself, you can explore Lilly’s pattern here and see how Hygge comes to life stitch by stitch.
Hygge Beyond Winter: Travel, Culture, and Intentional Experiences
This same philosophy shapes how I design experiences, like my Cultural Immersion Experience in Taiwan, where we slow down, connect deeply, and create meaningful memories.
Instead of rushing through life or waiting until something feels wrong, what would it look like to be intentional now? To create space for meaningful experiences, connection, and even preventative care—before it’s needed?
That’s the heart behind my Cultural Immersion Experiences in Taiwan. If you’re curious about experiencing this kind of intentional, slow travel in real life, you can explore my Taiwan experiences here.
These are not fast-paced, checklist-style trips. They are deeply curated, creative, and luxurious experiences designed to help you slow down, connect with culture in a meaningful way, and return home feeling changed—not exhausted.
And even beyond that, I’ve been quietly working on something new—an experience rooted in that same intention and care, but focused on something we often overlook: peace of mind in our health.
More on that soon.
Photo Credit: Jimmy Lin