By Olivia Bollen.

There’s something about an Auckland winter that truly chills to the bone. We might not encounter the -4° early mornings of our South Island counterparts, however a never ending downpour seems slightly less magical than snow and frost.

When living in Sweden, I quickly learned how difficult a major lack of sunlight (only 5 hours a day!) can be mentally. Only when a Danish friend at the time taught me about the Concept of Hygge, the art of creating intimacy, did I truly learn how to love winter and appreciate it.

During a study from the Happiness Research Institute (we know, what a great job) they undertook analysing why is seemed that Danish people continued to be the happiest in the world. The overwhelming result showed 85 percent of Danes associated Hygge with countries’ high happiness ratings.

70 percent also associated Autumn and winter as being the most ‘Hyggeily’ times of the year.

So from Taken Care Of, here is our top 5 tips on how to create a truly happy atmosphere over winter.

Lighting While we might be lacking in vitamin D, mood lighting and candle light are the foundation of creating a magical atmosphere during winter. No recipe for hygge can be complete without candles. We find that beautiful musty scents such as sandalwood and star anise add to the atmosphere. The beautiful girls at George & Edi have perfected this mood in their Wanaka Atelier – find the perfect addition here and in our gift boxes.

Food It seems as soon as the cold hits, like a Big Brown Bear, we begin the search for a warm place to hibernate with comfort food close by. While your trainer may say otherwise, we believe food and wine are the foundation of togetherness and love during winter.  One of our winter favourites to bring people together, with a guaranteed comfort factor, is a glass of mulled wine or Gløgg. Find our favourite recipe here.

Giving Closely associated with the togetherness of sharing a meal with friends is the art of giving. This could be anything from your time, a meal, a gift or simply giving thanks. While you might not be able to be there in person, there are always ways to spread Hygge and happiness around to those in need, whether that be a friend going through a tough time or someone who just needs a metaphorical hug from afar. There’s something that makes you feel intrinsically happy knowing you’ve helped someone. To make the art of giving a little easier for you, here’s our pick for the most hyggeily gift box we’re sure they would love to receive – Insert glaring plug here!

Comfort 71 percent of Danes find the place where you experience the most hygge is home, therefore creating an atmosphere and safe place away from the raging storm outside is absolutely key to happiness in winter. For us, this comfort starts with a blanket. Whether in bed, on the sofa or tucked into a a plush lounge chair these beautiful French Country wool throws are your perfect starting point to a hygge home.

Presence  Lastly one of the most important aspects of hygge in winter is being present. Be here, turn off the phone, talk to the people around you, read a book and enjoy. We often become so caught up in the small device in the palm of our hands that we forget to look up and appreciate the weather around us. What better place to begin than with the book that started all this hygge in the first place. Find ‘The Little Book of Hygge – The Danish Way to Live Well’ available at Taken Care Of. Why not settle in with your new blanket and a mug of mulled wine?