What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites save on your computer, tablet, or phone when you visit them. Think of them like little sticky notes that help a website remember things about your visit — for example, whether you’re logged in, which pages you’ve looked at, or what preferences you’ve set.
Almost every website on the internet uses cookies. They are not programs and cannot install anything on your device. They simply store small pieces of information so the website can work properly and give you a better experience.
There are two main types based on how long they stick around:
- Session cookies — These are temporary. They disappear as soon as you close your web browser, like erasing a whiteboard at the end of the day.
- Persistent cookies — These stay on your device for a set period of time (days, weeks, or months) so the website can remember you the next time you come back.
In addition to cookies, we may use similar technologies such as pixels and local storage. For simplicity, we refer to all of these as “cookies” throughout this policy.
Cookies We Use
HearthAndHint uses cookies for several different purposes. We’ve grouped them into five categories below. Each category card explains what the cookies do, why we use them, and how long they last.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function. Without them, basic features like staying logged in or moving between pages wouldn’t work. Because they are strictly necessary, they cannot be switched off.
What they do:
- Keep you logged in while you browse (session management)
- Protect your security — for example, preventing a type of attack called “cross-site request forgery”
- Remember your cookie consent choice so we don’t keep asking you every time you visit
Duration
Session (deleted when you close your browser) or up to 12 months for consent preferences
Can You Disable Them?
No — these are required for the site to work
These cookies help us understand how visitors use HearthAndHint — for example, which articles are most popular, how people find us, and how long they spend on a page. This information helps us improve the site and create more of the content you enjoy.
We use Google Analytics for this purpose. The data collected is aggregated and anonymized, which means we see overall trends rather than identifying individual visitors.
Cookies set by Google Analytics:
- _ga — Distinguishes unique visitors. Lasts up to 2 years.
- _gid — Distinguishes unique visitors on a given day. Lasts 24 hours.
- _gat — Limits the rate of data collection during busy periods. Lasts 1 minute.
Duration
1 minute to 2 years (varies by cookie)
Can You Disable Them?
Yes — via our cookie banner or your browser settings
HearthAndHint is a free website, and advertising helps us keep it that way. We use Google AdSense to display ads. These cookies allow Google’s advertising network to show you ads that are relevant to your interests, based on the websites you’ve visited.
What they do:
- Track which ads you’ve already seen so you aren’t shown the same one repeatedly
- Measure whether you’ve interacted with an advertisement
- Build a general profile of your interests to serve more relevant ads
These are third-party cookies, meaning they are set by Google rather than by HearthAndHint directly. You can opt out of personalized advertising, and you will still see ads — they just won’t be tailored to your browsing history.
Duration
Up to 13 months (set by Google)
These cookies make your experience on HearthAndHint smoother and more personal. They remember choices you’ve made so you don’t have to start from scratch each time.
What they do:
- Save your quiz progress and scores so you can pick up where you left off
- Remember your puzzle game state if you close the page and come back later
- Store display preferences such as your preferred font size or theme
- Remember whether you’ve subscribed to our newsletter so we don’t show the signup prompt again
Duration
Session to 12 months, depending on the feature
Can You Disable Them?
Yes — but some features may not work as smoothly
Some cookies on HearthAndHint are placed by other companies whose services we use. We don’t control these cookies directly, but here’s a transparent rundown of who may set them and why.
Third-party services that may set cookies:
- Google (Analytics and AdSense) — Described in the sections above
- Affiliate partners (e.g., Amazon Associates) — If you click a product link in one of our gift guides, the retailer may set a cookie to track that your visit came from HearthAndHint. This is how we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
- Social sharing plugins — If we add buttons that let you share an article on Facebook, Pinterest, or other platforms, those services may set their own cookies
- Newsletter service provider — The email platform we use to send newsletters may set a cookie to manage your subscription
Each third party has its own cookie and privacy policy. We encourage you to review them if you’d like to know more.
Duration
Varies by provider — typically from 30 days to 2 years
Can You Disable Them?
Yes — via our cookie banner and/or browser settings
Your Consent & the Cookie Banner
When you first visit HearthAndHint, you’ll see a cookie consent banner at the bottom of the screen. This banner gives you a clear choice:
- Accept All Cookies — Allows every category listed above.
- Manage Preferences — Lets you choose exactly which optional categories (analytics, advertising, functionality) you’d like to allow.
- Reject Non-Essential Cookies — Only essential cookies (the ones required for the site to function) will be used.
Your choice is saved in an essential cookie so we remember it the next time you visit. You can change your mind at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in our website footer.
For our European visitors: Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the ePrivacy Directive, we will not set any optional cookies until you’ve given your consent. If you’re visiting from outside the European Economic Area, your local privacy laws may apply as well.
How to Manage or Delete Cookies
You have several ways to control cookies beyond the choices in our cookie banner:
Through Your Web Browser
Every major browser lets you view, manage, and delete cookies. The steps vary slightly, but generally you’ll find cookie settings under “Privacy” or “Security” in your browser’s preferences. Here are direct links to help pages for the most common browsers:
Opt Out of Google Personalized Ads
You can adjust how Google uses your information for advertising by visiting Google’s Ad Settings page. You can also install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on to prevent Google Analytics from collecting data about your visits.
Industry Opt-Out Tools
For broader control over advertising cookies from many companies at once, visit:
Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time — for example, if we add new features that use cookies, start working with a new third-party service, or if the law requires changes. When we make updates, we’ll revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
For significant changes, we may also display a notice on the website or show the cookie consent banner again so you can review and update your preferences.
We encourage you to check this page occasionally to stay informed about how we use cookies.
