(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Editor's Notes by Christina Myer)

By the time you read this, we are either all hunkered down for the impending snowpocalypse … or cursing the weather forecasters who had us worked up for nothing. But in the event that there is a lot of snow headed our way, I hope you’ve made your trip to the grocery store and are ready to settle in for a bit.

If possible, try to enjoy the forced coziness — and remember this sort of thing is more unusual and shorter-lived than in some other places. Take Norway and Denmark, for example. (I mean, don’t actually TAKE either of those countries … Nevermind. That’s another column.)

Here, we do think of hygge as being associated with these dark, cold, snowy stretches. But Denmark’s official People and Culture website says hygge, though difficult to explain, is “about taking time away from the daily rush to be together with people you care about — or even by yourself — to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures.” That can mean a summer picnic as much as snuggling up by the fire with a good book in winter.

However, “The cold, dark, and wet climate during long parts of the year encourages Danes to spend time together indoors. Winter is the prime time for hygge,” the site says. “But other factors are also in play. Hygge reflects the values of Danish society: equality and the well-being of everybody. A spirit of consensus is favoured. Arguments are unlikely in a moment of hygge, since no one wants to ruin the positive atmosphere.”

Hygge can be difficult to explain because it is such a personal experience — not one that invites observers: “While hygge can be deeply enjoyable and rejuvenating, it is also a non-inclusive exercise that can leave newcomers to Denmark on the outside looking in,” the site says. “Hygge encourages its practitioners to shelter, cluster, and enclose. It can be hard for outsiders to get access to the occasions where hygge unfolds.”

That means, this weekend, you can make it your own!

Dim the lights, perhaps SAFELY light some candles or a fire in the fireplace. If you haven’t taken down your Christmas lights yet, now is the perfect time to plug them back in. Burrow into that pile of blankets and pillows on your couch with a cup of hot chocolate or tea and a good book. Perhaps raid the pantry for ingredients to bake something yummy, or get a soup simmering on the stove.

Whole family home? Break out the board games. (Remember that bit about arguments being unlikely … I don’t recommend Monopoly.) Maybe now is the time to bring the crafting box out of the closet or put together a Lego set you got last month. Try some time-consuming DIY skincare or choose a good movie.

Maybe play a little music. If you’ve got a piano or keyboard at home, but haven’t practiced in years, now’s your time.

If you DO have to venture out (for example, I know I won’t get away with forgetting to put the dog’s coat on him and taking him for a walk), bundle up properly and wear good boots so you can enjoy the winter wonderland rather than shivering and stomping your feet the whole time.

Speaking of your feet: Now is the time for cabin socks and slippers.

If you can, find ways to make the next couple of days a positive experience that is more self-care than “stuck inside.”

Believe me, I’m as likely to complain about being cold during these months as anyone, but soon enough we’ll be wondering how it is possible that it can get so hot and humid here, too.

Find ways to enjoy it. And, if nothing else, remember this, too, shall pass.

Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com