By Peggy Sue McRae, Journal contributor
This autumn we islanders were treated to exceptionally flamboyant fall color and some beautiful crisp sunny days to witness all that beauty. Then the winds kick up and whoosh, branches are stripped bare. It’s almost as if the trees are preparing us for the next season, the season of short days and long dark nights. As days get shorter and we “fall back” out of daylight saving time, any light that can make it through those bare branches is welcome. Set your clocks back and dig out those holiday lights!
The Danes have a word for how to enjoy the coming season of short chilly days and long dark nights. The word “hygge,” pronounced “hoo-gah”, means enjoying a level of coziness, conviviality and contentment. Here are some tips for generating hygge.
Enhance your long dark nights with creative lighting. We all need good light to read and see what we are doing but consider atmospheric lighting. A lava lamp, Tibetan salt light or string of fairy lights can bring a magical feeling into a dark room.
Quilting, painting or a friendly game of cards are all hygge activities made all the more convivial by ongoing groups at the Mullis Center. Check the Mullis Center newsletter or webpage calendar for ongoing activities, special art museum excursions and art-making workshops (www.mulliscenter.org). Pick up candles, textiles, wreaths and more holiday fare and cozy comforts at the Mullis Center Annual Holiday Artisan Market coming up on Nov. 23.
For a night in, picture a couch swathed with quilts and pillows, big bowls of popcorn and hot cups of cocoa. What better way to settle into darkness than planning a themed movie night? How about whale movies filmed in the San Juan Islands? This could include “Namu the Killer Whale,” 1966 (look for young Sammy Buck, Mike Goff and Clara Tarte), “Free Willy,” 1993 and “Free Willy 2,” 1995. If you watch the movie “Practical Magic” filmed here in 1998, be prepared to hit the pause button for a closer look at crowd scenes. You may recognize some local talent!
One of the best parts of winter on the island is witnessing the return of the trumpeter swans. It’s said they arrive on Halloween and stay until Easter. For a proper hygge outing, wrap up in a warm fuzzy scarf, put your boots on and fill a thermos or pick up a hot beverage from the drive-through and cruise the island looking for swans. Don’t forget your camera.
Whether it’s knitting by the fire, a friendly game of cards or posting photos of swans on your social media, prepare to enjoy the season. As seasons do, this one too will fly right by, and before we know it, it will be February and we will be looking for crocuses.
