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When it is cold and dark outside, we love nothing more than to have a cozy night (or day!) at home. We all put on our “comfy cozies” as my kids call them, gather our blankets, and head to the couch to cuddle. We read books, play games and watch movies.
Now that it is nearly dark at 4pm, our cozy nights start pretty early. Which gives us even more time to hang out together.
Here are a few of our favorite things for a cozy night at home:
Comfy Clothes
I used to demote any old clothes that weren’t nice enough to wear out anymore to lounging clothes. But after reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I have changed my ways. Now I deliberately choose lounging clothes that make me happy, instead of wearing my worn out old t-shirts and workout pants. I love cozy sweat pants like these or these. And these soft henley tops are perfect for lounging.
For the girls, I am a sucker for matching pj’s. We usually find our favorites from Gap, Hanna Andersson, or J Crew.
Slippers
There is nothing better than cozy slippers! These moccasins are my favorite. I have gone through quite a few pairs, and keep coming back to the same ones. And since my girls still think it is cool to match mom, I love that they have the same moccasin slippers for kids! My husband doesn’t think it is so cool to match me, but just in case your does, they make them for men, too.
Blankets & Pillows
We like to snuggle up together on the couches, and soft blankets and comfy pillows are key! We have a ton of blankets in the living room, and we each have our favorites. My favorite is the white comforter that was on my bed when I was 5 years old. (It is actually still in pretty good shape!) One of my daughters loves her aden + anais Dream Blanket, and the other is obsessed with a crazy pink princess blanket that I keep trying to get rid of. My husband will take anything that is already out, which is usually one of these ring spun cotton blankets.
Candles
We all enjoy having a nicely scented candle burning and this is our all-time favorite. It lasts forever and makes the whole house smell divine. And how cute is this jar of matches? So much better than a falling apart box of matches, and you can refill it once it is empty.
Books
I love to cuddle with my girls and read. Our new favorite book is A Year Full of Stories: 52 classic stories from all around the world. There are 52 stories from around the world, many seasonal or relating to different holidays. They are sweet stories with gorgeous illustrations, and I am always looking for ways to expose them to new cultures. I could even see this being the jumping off point for many more learning activities to go along with each story.
Once the kids go to bed, I stay right there on the couch with my blankets, but exchange the kids book for whatever I am currently reading. (Check out some books I’ve read lately here.)
Games
My girls are just now getting old enough that we can have family game nights, and they love it! When choosing games to add to your collection, try to find ones that will look nice if they are left out on the coffee table. (Which they usually are!) Our current favorites are the Extra Large Wooden Four In a Row and the Wooden Domino Set. I also love this beautiful 4-in-1 classic children’s games by French artist Nathalie Lete, and definitely want to add it to our collection. All of these games are timeless, and your kids will never outgrow them.
Popcorn & a Movie
Friday nights are movie night in our house. After dinner, we pop a few bowls of popcorn, get cozy on the couch, and watch a movie together. (We usually check Common Sense Media to be sure that the movies we choose are age-appropriate.) And we always have plenty of cloth napkins around…because greasy popcorn fingers!
Are you looking for a great family gift idea?
For an awesome group gift that would be appreciated by any family, put together a basket of cozy night essentials. Start with a nice blanket. Add moccasin slippers or slipper socks for each member of the family. A Year Full of Stories works for almost any age kids, as does Four In a Row. Add a bag of popcorn and some DIY cloth napkins and you are done.
Who wouldn’t love to receive this gift basket?
Looking to give an even bigger family gift? How about a new mattress from a socially conscious company like Leesa. I love that they donate 1 mattress for every 10 they sell.
What does your family like to do on cozy nights at home?
