Cozy is a lifestyle.
My bio on my private Instagram has that listed as a descriptor… because it is true! Happiness is warm sweaters, cozy socks, soft blankets, soft lights or candles, and a warm mug (tea, cocoa, or coffee). I always knew this about myself, but graduate school solidified it.
My anxiety was at its worst it has ever been while in school. I needed ways to calm down and de-stress to help manage what I could of anxiety. (You know, take it down from a full panic alarm to a tea kettle screaming, at least.) My usual yoga, exercise, acupuncture, therapy, and herbs were in my toolbox. But I needed all the tools in the toolbox to manage things. So, I started diversifying the tools I used. I got back into art, diffused essential oils in my diffuser, and began listening to music to fall asleep to.
Next, I stumbled onto jazz. (Which, admittedly, became more of a study and work playlist. It turns out I like jazz a lot. Who knew?)
And then… I fell into ambience videos.
Once I found them, there was no going back.
The cozy videos filled with soothing scenes – and the serene music, nature sounds, or sounds of everyday life that accompanied them – were a soft spot for my buzzing nerves to cuddle up to. I read textbooks to their background. I studied to them. On anxious nights, I fell asleep to them.
Now, I write to them, create art listening to them, and work on business with them in the background. They are a grounding, calming soundtrack for me.
I could enjoy most of these benefits with any soothing soundtrack I could find on spotify. What makes ambience videos particularly special is the scenery.
While I adore music, what I love about ambience videos is the scenery. It transforms the space I’m in into any place. When working in four walls it is refreshing to have a different scenery. A library, A winter wonderland, a Christmas fireplace, or a coffee shop. And every scene is all about maximum coziness, from mood lighting to crackling fireplaces. (Which is important, because, like I said before: coziness is a lifestyle.)
I have a go-to ambience playlist for every season and mood. This year, I thought why not compile a holiday one? The house may be decorated in all sorts of lovely, cozy holiday decor, but that does not mean that we still cannot be immersed in even more Christmas scenery! The scenes are relaxing, soothing, and inviting. They add a little something extra, like adding a dash of cinnamon to eggnog or using a candy cane to stir cocoa this time of year.
There is something especially magical about putting one on in the late afternoon and evenings, with the warm glow of the tree beside it, and a cozy throw while reading or doing work. (Add in a few drops of essential oils into the diffuser – like cinnamon, vanilla, and/or pine and it is just the perfect calm, comfy evening.)
I cannot keep these gems all to myself, though! I have to share them so you can enjoy them and their dose of R&R yourself. So, I organized my favorite holiday ambience videos into two playlists which I have embedded below.
Do you like relaxing to music? One playlist has cozy holiday scenes of decorated windowsills overlooking nature, trees, fireplaces, and lights accompanied by Christmas songs. The songs are mostly instrumental, but the last few have some Christmas classics. I call this Christmas Music Ambience.
Do you want to relax without music? The second playlist also shares cozy holiday scenes in Christmas kitchens, coffee shops, window seats, and living spaces. Except, instead of music, there are just the sounds of daily life. Crackling fires, pages turning, coffee brewing. This playlist is called Cozy Christmas Ambience (without music). You know, because.
I hope you enjoy these playlists the rest of this holiday season as much as I have. The holiday season can be hectic for so many of us and as lovely as it can be, it can also take an emotional toll whether from the stress of the festivities, life circumstances, family difficulties, or life. I hope these videos can be a cozy, soft place for you to settle into and fill your cup back up.
Which playlist are you going to start with?
xoxo,
