Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. — Edith Sitwell
Sometimes English is, well, so lacking. Other languages have words that are just so more descriptive of conveying something deeper. Gemütlichkeit is one of those words – it is sort of the German equivalent of Hygge. The word reminds me of the feeling that would wash over me when I went to my Nana’s house: cozy and inviting, there was always something good to eat, it was full of love and listening ears – a safe, warm, welcoming place! And with those thoughts in mind, gemütlichkeit seems the perfect word for where I want to go on Friday’s… at least for the winter season!
It feels like we are racing into winter with these dark, cold days. It is so easy to wish the season away, longing for sunnier, warmer weather. But perhaps in the wishing the season away, I am missing the quiet, dark beauty that is unfolding around me.
So welcome to Gemütlichkeit for Friday’s! Grab a cuppa and let’s get started!
First, perhaps you are wondering how to pronounce gemütlichkeit… wonder no longer:
Yes, it’s a mouthful, but say it a few times and it really rolls off your tongue!
How about some knitting? I might be heading off to Ravelry shortly to see what *other* slippers I might find. I am on the “edge” of admitting defeat with these babies. I have knit one slipper unsuccessfully twice! I am giving it one more try this morning using German short-rows instead of the prescribed W&T method with the hopes that in doing that the gemütlichkeit will radiate from these slippers and the stitches will be knit with love rather than the frustration and bad language that filled previous two attempts!
I am a year around wool-knitter, but this time of year it is especially nice to fill your lap with some cozy knitting. And, in case you are looking for some cozy knitting to fill your lap with I found some things on Ravelry that scream cozy! First up, an “oldie” but so much goodness: Anne Hanson’s Cluaranach! I have knit Cluraranach and it is my go-to winter wrap. Bonus points for filling your lap quickly as this really is an easy and fast knit!
Next up are a few things that have been on my radar for a while! Love Note, Savage Heart Cardigan, and Felix (or Felix Cardigan). A lap full of a cardigan is the coziest thing ever – and these are some quick, cozy knits! The gemütlichkeit practically oozes from these beauties, amirite?
Finally, can anything be cozier than hand knit socks? I saw Sivia Harding’s Walking into Winter socks and got a strong case of the “I need to knit these” bad! Of course, all these yarns are just so yummy!
A couple of years ago, I put up fairy lights in January to help those dark winter nights. But last year I left them up – little bits of light certainly help ease the dark winter nights and they are also nice on warm summer nights! I have a strand of them on the mantle, but my favorite way I am using them is in this pitcher! It is the nicest “light” and gives off the coziest glow. For the holidays I have added a few Christmas baubles.
It can become challenging to keep Friday Night Snacks from feeling rote so when I saw this recipe in a Smitten Kitchen email I thought it would be the perfect wintry addition! I love the idea of serving them warm as well – the perfect cozy addition to our Friday table!
Finally, for all of us who *don’t* wash our hair every day – the morning bed head blues can be challenging – no? I have tried dozens of tips and tricks but this little twitter thread yesterday was a new one! I gave it a trial run last night and this morning my bed head blues were somehow transformed into an ode to joy! I am going to give this a few more tries to validate the results – but holy cow peeps! It was exactly as the tweeter described – “a shield against the next 8 hours…It’s like pressing pause on your hair…”
I wish you all a weekend full of Gemütlichkeit and I will you back here on Monday!
Photo by Lum3n.com from Pexels socks
I’m looking for gemütlichkeit all winter, in fact probably all year, so I’m glad to find it here on your blog! Putting on my wool socks is a welcome treat, as is my hot mug of tea and flannel nightgown. Sometimes it’s an effort to get dressed as I’m so warm and cozy, but I need chili powder, so I’m forced to put on “real clothes”. Soon my house will be filled with the delicious scent of baking cookies for Cookie Day tomorrow, so I’ve got a good start on gemütlichkeit and I know you do, too!
I’ll teach you another word for that warm, homey feeling: heymish. It’s Yiddish, and it sounds like it means pretty much the same thing as gemutlichkeit (but easier to say!).
There are days I wish I could get away with not washing my hair every day, but sadly my skin seems to think I’m still a teenager and it’s not really an option if I’m going to be out in public.
I love everything about this post Kat! And that twitter feed…informative and hysterical! Have a great weekend!
Lovely post Kat – a nice start to the weekend. I made roasted almonds over Thanksgiving: recipe from a restaurant in FL where I held a meeting – roast raw almonds for 15-20 minutes at 350. Then put in bowl with 1/2C EVOO, 2 TBS minced garlic and 2 TBS minced fresh rosemary. Stir, spread on parchment paper to dry. So Delicious! The Felix Cardigan is so beautiful. Wishing you a very peaceful weekend.
I love when you post the links 🙂 I did not know that about dry shampoo, who knew? Now that my knitting crunch is over, I’m perusing all the stuff for ME on ravelry and I love it.
What a great post–I read and clicked as I read and read some more and it felt like I was having a conversation with you. 🙂
I’m all about twinkle lights year round. This time of year I have more than other times of year but I always have some on our mantle and around the book case in our living room and outlining the double doorway between our living room and dining room. They are magical all the time but I do think they are especially magical in December.
I, too, leave twinkle lights up year round (although I always add more at the holidays). It makes the winter darkness more bearable! I’m sorry to hear about your frustration with the slippers. I use German short rows always (because I hates the W&Ts). (My “learning curve” with the pattern came from counting my stitches. I always seemed to be off that first go-round. . . ) Enjoy the weekend!
How nice to read you like ‘gemütlichkeit’ ! In Dutch we call it ‘gezelligheid’ and sometimes I wondered if it wasn’t too odd, or non-existant in some other countries, since it seems so hard to find a translation for it ( although we are taught to translate it with ‘cosy’ ).
It is an often used word here, not only for the things you describe, but also in phrases like: “would you come over for a cup of tea ?” “yes, gezellig” , or to describe how an evening with friends was. But I admit that longer evenings/nights and fairy lights and candlelight highly add to the feeling of ‘gezelligheid’ 🙂
I currently have 3 sweaters going on right now-why do I feel productive during one of the most busy months of the year?! I don’t wash my hair everyday and both guys who do my hair [1 cuts and 1 colors] agree not to wash it every day. I do have to wet it as it is very short and sometimes sticks up, but shampoo only about 1 time per week. I’ve heard pros and cons on the dry shampoo, but if it works do it and I won’t think you are a cavewoman for not washing your hair everyday 😉
What a delightful idea, Kat – LOVE IT! first off, I am so happy to see a kind of return to Fiber Friday … I loved seeing all those lovely links and losing myself down a rabbit hole or three is fun! (glad I haven’t started slippers yet!) Your pitcher of twinkle lights is so cool. I make those nuts with just cashews (a Barefoot Contessa recipe, I think inspired by the same bar nuts) AND whew! Hope it’s been a wonderful weekend!
I love warm and cozy this time of year. I was trying to think of something to do with the white twinkly lights ( I didn’t put up a tree this year) and putting them in a glass container is a great idea. Thanks. And that Must Stash yarn – she is quite an artist for sure. Running behind this week so blog reading and commenting has taken a back seat.