8| SIMPLYTOGETHER
A SUSTAINABLE guide to hygge When the Christmas decorations have come down, the last needles from the tree finally hoovered up, and all the presents put away January can look a bit bleak and foreboding. Its dark, its cold, let's face it – it's usually wet, and who knows if we’ll even be back in our offices with the promise of a good catch up over a brew to wile away the first days back to work. In those early days of the year, before the fresh shoots of spring and sunlight begin to emerge, it’s the perfect time of year to fully embrace the Danish concept of Hygge. Hygge (pronounced – Hue-Guh) is the concept of everything cosy, surrounding yourself and others around you with a warming atmosphere, where the simple things bring pleasure. In fact, the Danish celebration of cosiness that is one of the things that contributes to the reasons why Danish people are at the top of the list for the worlds happiest country. And if they attain this with incredibly long and dark winters, then there must be something in Hygge. So here’s our guide to all things hygge, with a sustainable twist…
Candles
The soft flickering glow of candles instantly evokes the perfect cosy atmosphere. An easy way to bring hygge to any room is to add a few candles. However many candles are made with paraffin wax, a crude oil by-product, and the burning of this contributes to indoor pollution. Equally, candles that are synthetically fragranced release phalates when they burn, which are can aggravate both asthma and allergic responses. Opt for sustainable choices such as candles made from soy, or beeswax and fragranced with natural essential oils – and create that hygge atmosphere with no lingering nasties.
