Picnics and Bonfires are Hygge

It’s day 16 of my 30 days of Hygge challenge and I’ve survived the change in routines so far. Some tasks aren’t much different than my normal routines, like my evening routines. Others take some intentional decisions to do the task of the day and making the effort to learn from the experience. During today’s task, the family discovered that picnics and bonfires are Hygge.

Why are they Hygge though?

What makes picnics and bonfires Hygge?

By answering this question, and giving you some ideas for creating a simple picnic for the family I hope you will be inspired to have your own picnic or bonfire.

Join the Hygge Challenge

This post may include affiliate links. I only recommend products that I love. All opinions are genuine. Any purchases made don’t cost you any additional money but help me earn a commission. Thank you for helping a girl out! Please read the Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.

If you are following along with my Hygge journey, you may know the answer already. Here’s what I discovered tonight. I had a long day at work and really didn’t want to go far. We could have tried to pack a picnic basket and walk to a local park for our evening meal, but that seemed like a lot of work at 7 pm, so we decided to have a bonfire and eat outside in the backyard.

It was perfect. The fire was relaxing, we were outdoors so the television wasn’t playing in the background. I could hear the birds chirping and the crackle of the fire. Our daughter was telling us about her day, and we were asking about her exam schedule (it’s that time of year).

Picnics and bonfires are Hygge because they combine nature with spending time with those you love. When you are outdoors you are more aware of the sounds around you, the smells in the air, and the brilliant colors you see. Without technology to distract you, picnics and bonfires create the opportunity for you to be more present in conversations.

You will see those sparkles in the eyes as teasing starts. A look of frustration over something that happened in their day is easier to spot, without distractions.

My task today was to have a picnic but here in Canada we will often BBQ instead. If you are going to have a BBQ or have a bonfire, then my challenge to you would be to eat outside with the family. Put the technology inside the house and just enjoy the family and the great meal.

If the bonfire is something you enjoy, why not top the night off with some smores? The kids will love it and it might just bring back some memories of growing up.

My current work schedule didn’t work well for a picnic away from our back yard however, we improvised with a quick bonfire in our own backyard. It truly made for a Hygge night for the family. Planning a picnic date with your spouse is another great Hygge activity, or make it a date with one of the kids. Either way picnics and bonfires are Hygge. Will you have one today?