From the Rector…
Hygge—or Holy Hygge, as I am calling it this Advent—has been a beautiful reminder of the importance of taking time to simply be cozy. Life can get a little crazy this time of year, with the holiday rush and the increased expectations we place on ourselves. We know it is a good idea to slow down and settle in, but there always seems to be far too much to do.
Sometimes I wonder if the church unintentionally piles on an extra layer of shame and guilt during this season. When there are still presents to buy, trees to decorate, and food to prepare, who really has time to be still?
And yet, the church’s call to remember that this is not quite Christmas is an important one. It helps us situate the busyness of the season as preparation rather than mere consumerism. While the world tells us this is simply the holiday shopping season, the church reminds us of a deeper truth: this is Advent—a season of waiting and preparation for Christ’s coming.
Christ’s coming is not only a call back to a babe in a manger; it is also a call forward, toward Christ’s return—his second coming. We may fill our homes with nativity sets and place stars atop our trees, but we are also invited to look to the skies. The deeper truth of this season is not simply remembering the birth of a baby, but holding fast to the promise of a Savior who will come again.
It’s hard to remember this deeper truth when we are rushing from store to store or activity to activity. If we can take the time to sit, even for a moment, and reflect on that truth we just might find it leads to a greater purpose than that defined by decorations and cookies. This is where Holy Hygge finds its place in the Advent season.
Hygge is an art form—the art of coziness. If you have been following along in our Advent devotional series, you know that this week we are invited to create a space for hygge in our homes. A cozy spot where we can sink into a comfortable chair and stare out the window, gaze into a fire on a cold night, read a book, or simply listen to Christmas music while wrapped in a soft, warm blanket and sipping hot cocoa.
Hygge is not meant to inspire guilt or shame for the rushing around you’ve been doing all day long. Instead, it offers permission to pause and breathe—to remember what it means to simply be. Turn off the screens. Snuggle with your kids, your spouse, your dogs—or all three at once. Enjoy the glow of the tree and the home you have worked so hard to create. Allow yourself a little cozy time and release the pressure and stress of an anxious world.
Too often we are led to believe that the Second Coming of Christ is something we should fear. I wonder if we spent a little more time enjoying one another and the life that we have been given, we might remember that God’s love for us is not about destruction but about the beauty and coziness of a life well enjoyed. Maybe the Christ that will come again is waiting for us to remember that too.
Light and Life,
Candice+