GET HYGGE WITH IT!
How are we doing? Shorter days are with us and the productive energy we had, has faded away. Our Summer was filled with lockdown projects, gardening, online courses, new creative skills but as the colder, greyer and darker nights are now with us, the thought of continuing our new Summer passions does not excite. But why is it we feel guilty about just wanting to be at home, watching the latest Netflix drama and getting into bed?
No worries, we have the answer. Follow the Danes and lets all create ourselves a Hygge lifestyle!
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What exactly is hygge?
“Hygge” — pronounced hyoo-guh — is a Danish word that loosely translates to “cosiness” or “comfort,” and it’s often used to describe a feeling that you’d get from snuggling indoors on a cold day.
Ask a Dane to explain the concept, and they’ll probably say hygge is being at home, snuggling in warm clothes, feeling sheltered and safe, enjoying indulgent foods, drinking mulled wine and soft lighting
Meik Wiking is is one of today’s most influential happiness researchers. He is the author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets To Happy Living, and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. In his book, Wiking explains that you know hygge when you feel it, but that some of the key ingredients are relaxation, indulgence, presence, and comfort. “The true essence of hygge is the pursuit of everyday happiness and it’s basically like a hug, just without the physical touch,” he says.
According to the 2016 World Happiness Report, Denmark clocks in as the world’s happiest country and Wiking believes that the positive stat can be attributed to hygge. “The Danes are exceptionally good at decoupling wealth and well-being," he says. “We focus on the small things that really matter, including spending more quality time with friends and family and enjoying the good things in life.”
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“hygge is being at home, snuggling in warm clothes, feeling sheltered and safe, enjoying indulgent foods, drinking mulled wine and soft lighting”
How do you practice hygge?
It requires only a small effort and costs little—if any—money. Wiking says, “There is nothing fancy, expensive, or luxurious about a pair of ugly woollen hygge socks—and that is a vital feature of hygge. It’s about appreciating the simple pleasures in life and can be achieved on a shoestring budget.”
Wiking says we should make sure that we have enough time, not be in a hurry, and focus on the simple pleasures. “For instance, let a good stew simmer for hours while you read a good book and enjoy a nice cup of tea. Also, keep it old-school—board games over computer games.”
His book suggests to hang a hygge manifesto on the fridge as a reminder to practice hygge every day. So clear your calendar, tape up the manifesto and get hygge with it.
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create the perfect hygge environment.
According to the book, no recipe for hygge is complete without a collection of flickering light. When Danes are asked what they most associate with hygge, 85 percent will say candles. Their homes are filled with glowing flames, lit in every room, and so are Danish boardrooms and classrooms.
Get yourself a cosy blanket or throw, turn up the heat and create a comfortable safe space. Wiking suggests a hyggekrog, which roughly translates to “a nook.
Socks, sweater, leggings—even a bun is suggested to feel the most hyggelig. Also recommended is a pair of hyggebusker: a pair of pants one would never wear in public, but are secretly a favourite. You get to spend the weekend in leggings, a cosy sweater, my hyggesokke, and a top knot, all guilt free!
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The hygge way of eating is all about indulging mindfully.
It’s suggested that the high level of meat, cakes, and coffee consumption in Denmark is directly linked to hygge. From a culinary perspective, hygge is about giving yourself a break from the demands of healthy living, but taking time to bake, savour, and enjoy the process of it.
Wiking says that cake is hyggeligt, hot chocolate, too, but carrot sticks and foie gras—not so much. The book recommends a hearty stew or a bowl of popcorn, porridge is also very hygge. Food that many have fond nostalgic memories…comfort food for a cold dark day.
Combining all of the above with relaxing activities
This book recommends that we actually Netflix and chill. Not in so many words, but cuddling up and watching a movie or TV is very hygge—especially in your blanket and bowl of popcorn. Board games, books, and maybe taking a walk is also hygge. Petting a cat, too. So create a place to snuggle up, sip tea and chill.
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The verdict
While hygge is not just about making sure you have these elements in your space—after all, the main component of hygge is that you're feeling present and spending quality time with yourself or your loved ones—the book offers advice that helps get you to that feeling of cosiness and contentment.
Hygge is more than just an excuse to hibernate or redecorate. Hygge could also be a way to feel happier during an otherwise dark and cold season — something Denmark knows a lot about. (UK sunsets at 3.50pm in December)
Wiking says that hygge is “a survival strategy” in Nordic countries, where the winters are long, and it tends to get very dark around 4 p.m.
Another surprising scientific benefit of hygge? We tend to spend a lot of time on computers or being on our phone late into the night, which can interfere with our sleep.
Hygge, on the other hand, encourages screen-free activities, such as reading a book, playing games or simply chatting with friends, which could have a more positive effect on your well-being in the long run.
Right now, when our world feels a little bit uncertain, hygge is a way to practice self-care that feels sincere. This book gives you permission to cosy up and take cover. You can simply pull on a pair of ugly woollen hyggesokker and know that they’ll kindle the ultimate happiness.
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