Practicing hygge and self-care with the seasons: Hygge in a Box Spring 2021 🇨🇦

I received the Spring Hygge in a Box in exchange for an honest review.

“Look out for any signs of springtime unfolding around you and enjoy the sense of comfort it brings you.” — Hygge in a Box

A few new tulips have bloomed in our front yard this year and it makes me happy every time I see them standing tall. Especially since they’re right in front of the dryer vent. Their days are numbered. 😂 I feel like the Nordic must have a word for the particular kind of contentment that comes with admiring flowers but all I could find was kalsarikannit, what the Finnish call getting drunk in your underwear with no intention of going out. (Maybe they’re not so different? 😂) If you’re looking for ways to practice hygge and self-care with the seasons, Hygge in a Box delivers them to you. The spring box arrived last week filled with a carefully curated variety of Canadian-made products and ideas for celebrating the simple pleasures this time of year brings.

Hygge in a Box ships across Canada and the US from its HQ in Manitoba. Quarterly subscriptions and single boxes are available along with limited editions released throughout the year.

Each box includes a product card that describes the contents on one side and offers seasonal hygge tips on the other. (You can see the founders in that photo in the top right corner. Hi Jill and Lisa! 👋)

The boxes and packing materials are environmentally friendly and recyclable.

Stuff Bag StufF is a collection of practical, one-of-a-kind products made from discontinued fabric samples, remnants and cut-offs. They are upcycled into bags and other useful items. Each one-of-a-kind StufF bag keeps beautiful fabrics out of landfills while giving back to the community. The maker proudly donates a portion of proceeds to The Treehouse Project through the Winnipeg Foundation to help places of need regarding children, youth and families. Based in Winnipeg, MB.

What a pretty, versatile bag! It’s a great size for all kinds of stuff, ideally things you regularly reach for so you can admire the pretty pattern. The fabric has a nice weight and texture to it and I love the leather pull on the zipper. It’s also the first of several items in this box from companies that donate a share of their proceeds to community organizations. Every product has a story and Jill and Lisa have obviously taken great care to include gifts that give back — both qualities that make the box and its contents feel special.

Marshmallow Candle Hygge Life is a Vancouver, BC based maker who is inspired by the love of all things hygge. They are both a small batch maker and a curator of carefully curated products. This signature coconut wax candle was poured into the adorable vessel that can be reused as a succulent or herb planter. This candle has a subtle blend of warm vanilla bean and soft sandalwood making it smell like a soft marshmallow.

I prefer woodsy, fruity or floral scents over sweet but the marshmallow here is soft like its name and comforting like a hug. And wood wicks are my favourite — just loved their snap, crackle and pop. The vessel and stand are charming too.

Natural Stone Soap Plate and Harvest Pear Soap Sample Wild Prairie Soap Company is an Edmonton, AB based business who have been creating products for over 20 years including their natural stone soap plate. Your soap will last up to 50% longer when placed on a stone soap plate due to the ability of the soap to remain dry between uses, never sitting in a pool of water. Say goodbye to soft, mushy soap forever. We also love how the plate brings a bit of nature indoors and adds a touch of hygge to your space. We hope you enjoy the sample from the Wild Prairie soap collection.

Goodbye soft, mushy soap! See you never! 👋 The soap dish is one of my favourite items in the box — something we needed and I love the natural stone. I haven’t yet tried the soap but it smells lovely and spring-y.

Bon Bon Soap Based in Edmonton, AB Soap So Co. creates artistically designed, handcrafted soaps that are sustainable, 100% vegan and cruelty-free. They create completely unique, artisanal soaps that not only look like decorative pieces but are quality soaps as well. Filled with the bursting scent of mandarin orange juices, blooming orange flower petals and coconut. Bonbon will bring you back to your childhood, munching on the candy that is its namesake. Scent profile: tangerine, jasmine, coconut and orange blossom. Looks and smells good enough to eat, but we don’t recommend it!

Anyone else have a thing for artisanal soaps? 🙋‍♀️ The scent and the pastel colours say spring to me and I love the playful design. I almost don’t want to use it!

Lemongrass Shower Steamers Start your morning on a high by filling your shower with the refreshing scent of lemongrass with these shower steamers. Based in Stratford, ON the makers at Apt. 6 saw how useful essential oils were during their daughter’s fight with severe anxiety. Her child psychologist incorporated essential oils and healing crystals in her therapy. Much to their astonishment, those ingredients had a positive influence on her and they saw the benefit. They decided to start making products and haven’t looked back! Portion of sales goes to non-profit organizations that are dedicated to and focus on child mental health.

Have you tried shower steamers? They’re like a bath bomb for your shower — you put it on the floor of your tub (or shower) and it fizzes and releases essential oils as the water hits it. These ones smell amazing! Lemongrass and orange are both said to help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.

Tomato Quinoa Soup No matter the weather, soup is always cozy, warming your whole body as it goes down. This soup is crafted in Langley, BC by Simply Delish, a family business who specializes in hand made dried soups, salads and dessert packages. All products are vegan, gluten free, with no added msg and reduced sodium. This soup is delicious with added carrots, peas, celery and whatever vegetables you have on hand. Sprinkle with fresh dill for that extra spring flavour.

Classic Sea Salt Caramels Charlie Girl Goods is a small business based out of North Vancouver, BC. With a love for all things sugary sweet, they created the perfect handmade old fashioned caramel from scratch by focusing on using only natural ingredients and the small batch process. The perfect combination of salty and sweet makes the Classic Sea Salt their best seller and Charlie Girl’s favourite. Since the caramels are made with natural ingredients they have a best before date. So go for it and enjoy them soon, bet you can’t eat just one.

Rainy spring days are perfect for soup and I’m looking forward to trying this one. Tomato and quinoa sounds delicious! And I appreciate how Jill and Lisa included a product suitable for vegan and gluten free diets.

The caramels are far and away the best ones I’ve ever tasted — soft and chewy and the perfect balance of salty and sweet. It’s taking everything in me not to have another right now but I’m trying to save a couple to share with my bestie. (And maybe include one in a care package to my mom. I’m down to my last few.)

Notebook Do Good Paper Co is an ethical Canadian independent stationery company that sells beautifully-designed paper products. As a mom of three young kids, the maker sets out to create journals that are practical, yet beautiful at the same time. This pretty spiral notebook is part of her Beautiful Life notebook collection and makes you feel cozy every time you reach for it to do your writing tasks. So, engage your senses by making yourself a hot drink, light your candle, grab your favourite pen and settle into your favourite spot to start a journaling session.

I’ve been following Do Good Paper Co for a while on Instagram and their products look so lovely. I’m just delighted to see one of their notebooks in the spring box! This one is lined, which I prefer over unlined, and I love the cover design.

Macrame Keychain (Exclusive bonus item for Quarterly Box Subscribers) This macrame keychain brings a touch of hygge and is perfect for holding your keys. It can also be clipped onto the outside of any bag as a stylish accessory. Made with recycled cotton cord, these keychains are also sustainable. The maker, Peach and Poppyseed, is a Winnipeg, MB based business who supports parents of pregnancy and infant loss.

This boho chic keychain is right up my alley but I think I like it clipped onto my tote even more.

Recipe Card for Danish Open-Faced Sandwiches (Smørrebrød) Lined up in cafe windows and served in specialty restaurants, smørrebrød sandwiches are everywhere in Denmark. They are a traditional Scandinavian open-faced sandwich that usually consists of a piece of buttered rye bread (a dark dense version) topped with cold cuts, pieces of meat or fish, cheeses, vegetabls, spreads and garnishes. We are loving this modern twist on the Danish classic.

I loved the recipes Jill and Lisa included in the last Hygge in a Box I was lucky enough to review and this one looks interesting too, perfect for a spring menu. Some of the ingredients for these sandwiches we already had in the fridge and I picked up the rest yesterday so we can try them soon. Smørrebrød Saturdays — is that a thing?

Hygge in a Box is one of my favourite boxes for self-care and this one feels especially so with the bath and shower treats and the nutritious soup and amazing caramels. I love that it’s a balance of items to consume and reuse, both luxurious and practical, and I enjoy being introduced to talented Canadian makers and the organizations their work supports.

Hygge in a Box is available to buy as a quarterly subscription or a single box for $114.99 CAD + shipping/each with limited edition boxes released throughout the year like the forthcoming Father’s Day Box ($89.99 + shipping) and Gratitude Box ($29.99). The cut-off date to order the limited editions is May 15, ‘tho they tend to sell out before the deadline. Orders for the spring box are closed; the summer box sells until May 30 and ships in June.

What do you think of the spring Hygge in a Box? How do you enjoy hygge?