Hygge
/
I’ve been reading a lovely uplifting book called the Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. Apparently, the Danish are the happiest people on earth and a great proportion of that happiness is due to Hygge.
Hygge is one of those words that is hard to translate; a single word that seems to encompass lots of things; a sentence in a word. I think the Chinese and Japanese have similar sentiments in some of their characters. We don’t seem to have it in English so much; the closest I can think is cosiness.
Hygge is the feeling of comfort and warmth and contentment you get from wrapping up in a blanket in front of an open fire with a few friends, a warm drink, a thick jumper, cake, a book and a sense of peace. It seems to help if the weather is cold, wet, stormy or wintery, but hygge can be experienced in the summer months too.
Hygge can apply to anything warm and cosy. Lighting, candles, firesides, food, drink, clothing, good books, board games, small groups of friends. The Danes, according to Meik Wiking, use hygge as both a verb and a noun, so something like a wool jumper can be a hygge-jumper or you could ask someone to come round for some hygge time. It seems to be more a way of life that’s simple, clean, casual, rustic and non technological, but in a really lovely way. Taking your time, slowing things down, watching, listening, sitting.
No bragging, not materialistic, no one trying to outdo anyone else, not having the latest gizmo or gadget, just simple, old fashioned warmth and companionship. It is also about nature and bringing that into the home; greenery, pine cones, conkers and the like; grounding us I suppose. In summer, it would be the act of gathering friends and family at the end of a day’s activities for a simple supper, barbecue or picnic. Christmas by its very nature is the ultimate hygge time with gift giving, family, traditions and decorations playing starring roles.
The acts of baking together, playing a simple game, sitting by the fire, watching the stars, all in the name of relaxation and restoration. A time for adults to perhaps do things just for fun, rather than have an outcome or end result from doing or completing a task. Just a simple way to live well and happily. We could all learn a lot from them.
The Danish also have the concept of Lykke which is simply happiness and the way to try and live a happier life. The Danes are a very sociable nation and it is this feeling of togetherness and community that will promote greater happiness.
“Scandi” style is very on trend at the moment and they have given us clean lines, wonderful design, superb quality, minimalism and functionality with beauty, lightness and simplicity in furniture, furnishings, textiles and clothing, but I think their concepts of hygge and lykke and finding happiness are far more valuable to us all than anything else.