Holiday Feelings: Coziness, Comfort, Contentment, and Ease

We have all heard of Gemütlichkeit, a word the likes of which we do not have in the English language. Well, the Germans are not the only ones who are able to get cozy in ways we are not. The Danish treasure hygge (pronounced ‘hooga’), which means about the same thing as Gemütlichkeit. As it turns out, the concept might be the secret to a happier life! 

But what do these things mean? Both are culturally inherent concepts that create a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and great experiences with wonderful people. Sitting around a fire, telling stories is hygge. Enjoying a hot tea with your best friend is Gemütlichkeit. A room lit with candles, people sharing a dinner around a table, and on and on. It is basically every type of situation that gives you the warm feels of contentment.

Both hygge and Gemütlichkeit are easier manifested in the dark, cold months, when you want to cuddle up under a throw and warm your hands on hot mug of something good. It’s around the holidays when people come together more than usual to celebrate and enjoy each other while being grateful for life’s treasures.

Most often, these concepts of inner wellbeing involve food and wine, but they always involve other people to whom you are close – or with whom you are becoming close because of all that Gemütlichkeit and hygge. Note that in the countries with Romance languages no such term exists. And neither does it in English, Japanese, and many cultures in Asia and the Americas. Maybe it must be cold, maybe the lifestyle has to be more measured, perhaps people have to feel inherently secure to be able to experience Gemütlichkeit.

So, in our hectic lives, it is good to take some time out to enjoy our friends, our family, our animals, our homes, good food, good drink, the candle light, the warmth (of Florida or a fire). The spirit of inclusive, warm-hearted friendliness is bound to make you and everyone around you feel good. Try it this holiday season!

 Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells 

Christmas Boat Parade

A holiday tradition! The Halifax River Yacht Club   presents The Christmas Boat Parade!

The parade starts at the Seabreeze Bridge around 5:30 PM on Saturday, 10 December 2016. It proceeds south to the Halifax River Yacht Club for the judging of the theme and enthusiasm. Then, it goes into the Halifax Harbor Marina, turning in front of the Marina View dock. It finishes at the Chart House restaurant around 8 PM.

Enjoy the lights at night from any number of riverfront vantage points in Daytona Beach. Watch the boats parade along the Halifax River and culminate at the Halifax Harbor Marina for a truly spectacular boat show. 

Prime viewing is at Marina View (Halifax Harbor Marina) and Chart House (Daytona Marina & Boat Works)

For this event, the Halifax River Yacht Club has partnered with Light the Way, a community network that strives to support the individual needs of local cancer patients in treatment in Volusia County. Light the Way is 100% volunteer based and 100% of donations received go to local cancer patients who are in any type of cancer treatment.

Here are some of the ways in which Light the Way supports cancer patients:

•     Care packages and thoughtful/feel good gifts
•     Meals/food delivery
•     Home cleaning
•     Arranging transportation to/from treatment
•     Assisting with medical expenses

A portion of the funds raised through the Christmas Boat Parade will be donated to Light the Way.

 Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells 

 

5 Affordable Upgrades That Won’t Overimprove Your Home –

Are you planning on moving in the distant (or not-so-distant) future? Then these upgrades could improve the value and attractiveness of your house.

Or, let’s say you’re living in a starter home. You don’t plan on being there forever, but you also aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. You’d like to make some home improvements, but you’re worried you won’t get much return on your investment when you’re ready to sell.

To prevent that scenario, you can make some very effective cosmetic changes to, say, your kitchen that will add enjoyment to your every-day living, and they won’t drain your bank account.

The projects we will show you are around $5000 or less might make your house so nice you will never want to leave! But in case you want to sell, call Janet Rabe-Meyer, Realtor, G.R.I. to get the job done!

1.    Swap out your kitchen counter tops

Though granite has been considered the queen of counter tops, it is not as special as it was because every kitchen has it now. For a modern ‘wow’ factor, you could go with recycled glass (around $85 per square foot). Quartz is less expensive and has a clean, bright look, especially if you go with neutral colors like white, pale gray, or oyster shell. This will make it easy for potential buyers to envision their own style when viewing.

Upgrading your back splash with something unique like subway tile arranged in a fun pattern, will also add to the upgraded look of your kitchen. 

 

2.  Increase your living space with decking

You can use decking materials to create patios, outdoor living rooms, and outdoor kitchens. This way you extend your home for a perfect space to entertain guests or relax with your family. Especially in Florida, where the weather is good most of the year, you can get a lot of use out of a well-crafted outdoor space. Check out DeckingHero for fabulous resource guides and ideas.

 

3. Add low-voltage outdoor lighting

Create some outdoor magic with lights along your driveway, walkways, and patio, and uplights on trees. This makes for incredible ambiance in the evening, especially when entertaining. Additionally, lights make for fantastic photographs when you get ready to sell. As an additional perk, you can install timers on the lighting system, which will help in deterring burglars.

4. Give your exterior a makeover

Have your house exterior and front porch professionally power-washed, upgrade light fixtures (this can be as simple as replacing the bulbs with Edison-style ones, which instantly ups the cool quotient of your current fixture), swap out the hardware on your front door, upgrade your mailbox, replace worn-out or broken shutters, and freshen up your landscaping. These simple changes outside will pack a punch without crushing your budget.

BigValue Garden Center  has a large selection of great pottery for your front and back yard. Experts can help you with salt tolerant and drought resistant plants as well. Lindley’sNursery  in New Smyrna Beach also has a great selection of plants and pottery specifically suited for coastal Florida living. Both nurseries can design and install your new landscape for you.

5. Install a water feature or fire pit

A water feature - a pond or fountain – adds immediate atmosphere to your outdoor space. The gurgling water has been proven to be soothing for the nerves. That will be lovely for you, your guests, and prospect buyers when you are ready to sell.

A raised or sunken fire pit made of stone or metal increases the quality feel of your home. During the cooler evenings in the fall, sitting around the fire with friends is one of the best things in the world.

You can get a fountain and a fire pit very inexpensively, especially if you install it yourself.

All of these improvements will make you feel much more at home – or, they might inspire you to think bigger and get a new home! When you are ready to sell, get in touch with your realtor, Janet Rabe-Meyer, G.R.I!

 Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells