getting hygge with it

There is something deeply satisfying about creating a hearty dish to keep out the cold. Fill your belly with hygge

thing: consciousness – the ability to be present and recognise and enjoy the here and now.

Hygge is a huge part of the Danes’ national identity, and this small word encapsulates great meaning. Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge and CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, considers it to be an intrinsic part of being Danish: “It is a defining feature of our cultural identity and an integral part of the national DNA.” With the Danes being among the happiest in the world, we would be inclined to agree with him. But how can we embrace it? Wiking did note in a 2008 interview with Elle UK that Scandinavians might feel freer to pursue hygge and other simple pleasures because many citizens of the Nordic countries benefit from universal healthcare, free university education and social security. So how can people living elsewhere embrace it?

First, we need to realise hygge is not just a word but a concept. It is being aware of a good moment and taking the time to appreciate it fully. Just a small thing, like making a cup of hot chocolate and lighting some candles, can make all the difference in lifting one’s spirits. The concept of a ‘hyggeligt’ (the adjectival form) lifestyle is to maintain a sense of optimism and future possibility while at the same time making your surroundings as harmonious and balanced as possible.

long, dark days

Due to its position between the Baltic and North seas, Denmark suffers from vastly interchangeable weather. The months of December through to February are particularly cold and wintery. Dominated by cloud and rain, the average temperature ranges from -5 to +4°C (23 to 39°F). Mornings do not get light until around 9.30am, and it is dark again by 4.30pm. During the long, dark months, Scandinavians inject as much light as possible into their lives. Light, though, comes in many forms, including joy, wellbeing and comfort.

Every year, on 13 December, the festival of Lucia is celebrated. Lucia was a 4th-century saint from Sicily whose name translates as ‘light’. This festival is exceedingly popular among Scandinavians, originating in the 1920s in Sweden and being borrowed by the Danes in 1944. Today, this celebration brings hope, light and strength to people entering the coldest and darkest months of the year. But whether you live in Denmark, Dublin or Detroit, you too can fend off the worst of the winter with a few hygge tips. When the dark afternoons arrive, try replacing harsh lighting with glowing candles to create a cosy refuge. The right sort of light around the home is hugely important. The warmer and lower the light sources the better. Candles are a key part of achieving a hyggeligt vibe, but you can use fairy lights, LED candles (for those with small children or inquisitive animals) or, if you’re lucky enough to have one, a roaring fire. When it’s not alight, you can make your hearth the focal point of your room with a vase of flowers or candles, or by reorganising your furniture.

But hygge is not only for the cold months; the philosophy can be embraced all year round. Simple rituals incorporated into daily life can soon become a natural extension. Buying flowers regularly, drinking coffee from your favourite mug, or reading a book while wrapped in a particularly snuggly blanket are just a few examples. Surrounding yourself with things that make you feel good, such as close friends, warmth, light and other simple joys can all help you to achieve a sense of hygge. Ultimately, it is by being mindful and appreciating the simple things in life that we experience the most happiness.

the importance of nature

Feeling grounded and at one with nature is also hugely important. Woodland walks and spending quality time outside work wonders for both your mental and physical wellbeing. What’s more, returning to a warm, inviting home afterwards is an added pleasure. A popular Scandinavian design concept, and a large part of a hyggeligt home, is to bring nature indoors. Decluttering is also a form of comfort, keeping only what you love and need. This is also a part of the comfortable hyggeligt aesthetic. By reorganising your space with a selection of your favourite things, you can create a calm yet inviting hideaway.

the origin of hygge

The word ‘hygge’ is thought to derive from the Old Norse word hyggja (‘thoughtfulness’ or ‘care’). It also has connections to the word ‘hugga’ (‘to console or give comfort’), which is the source of the English word ‘hug’. Hygge is pronounced ‘hue-guh’ or ‘hoo-ga’, and is used to acknowledge a special moment or feeling. No English translation for hygge truly does the concept justice, but it could perhaps best be described as contentedness, kinship, cosiness, or simplicity. In Danish, ‘hygge’ is used as a noun, whereas ‘hyggelig’ or ‘hyggeligt’ are the adjectival forms. But since the concept has gained global popularity, in English ‘hygge’ is often used as an adjective too.

We find hygge through all of our senses: the smell of fresh coffee, the taste of a summer ice cream, the sight of spring’s first blossoms, and the feeling of your feet touching a sandy beach. Try to disconnect from everyday noise by unplugging and inviting hygge into your daily life. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an obsolete meaning of the word ‘hug’ is ‘to cherish oneself; to keep or make oneself snug’. Perhaps this will be the year that hygge embraces you.

let there be light

Brightening your home with a light colour palette immediately makes it more hygge. Creams, whites and beiges create a relaxing, calm space, but you can also add some pastel shades. Consider how colours will feel in your home, not just how they will look. For a hyggeligt interior, try a variety of textures, wooden floors, tables, woollen blankets and soft rugs for your feet to sink into. Items and objects in the home should tell a story, have a history, or be of emotional value, like an upcycled bench or chair, an old family painting or a treasured vase on the mantelpiece. Living hyggeligt is about simplicity, surrounding yourself with things that have meaning and that give you pleasure. You could even try creating a ‘hyggekrog’, which is a cosy corner. Decorate it with the things that make you feel safe, warm and happy. Cosy cushions, candles, warm blankets, your favourite books and anything else that makes you feel relaxed and content. Dress accordingly in your favourite jumper and ‘hyggebukser’ (cosy trousers) and accessorise with some woolly socks.

time together

With life’s daily stresses, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. By embracing hygge you can bring a little more peace and happiness into your life. This in turn will help you to feel more positive and hopefully enable you to reflect on your day with gratitude. Many of us enjoy scrolling through our social media or bingeing on a good box set from time to time, but often this does little for togetherness. It is important to make time for each other and spend quality one-on-one time with loved ones and friends. Meeting with people you feel comfortable enough to be your true self with is important. Only then can you share life’s small pleasures, safe in the knowledge that you will have things in common.

love yourself

At the height of winter, Danes can experience up to 17 hours of darkness per day. This could potentially have adverse effects on their mental health. It also means that they place a greater focus on home entertaining. Cooking and baking are important to the Danes, and the feeling of homeliness is often deep-rooted in homemade foods, recipes passed down through the generations. These personal elements create a more authentic feeling.

Hygge is about the opposite of denying and punishing oneself. The Danes focus on being kind to themselves and relish their free time. Hyggeligt recipes should be warming and indulgent, yet still relatively easy to make, meaning you can savour the process of making a homemade treat and then enjoy it round the table with loved ones. Hygge aims to foster a sense of community and togetherness, within the home and other close-knit settings, like a café, for example. In contrast with many corporate chains in the UK and US (who would rather you drank your coffee and left, or ordered to go), in Denmark, cafés encourage customers to stay, settle into a comfy chair with a blanket and read a book while enjoying a coffee and a piece of cake.

The Danes’ focus on creating and cherishing little moments of pleasure provides them with a better quality of life, but the ethos that is hygge also places great importance on self-care. Getting enough sleep, eating well and switching off from the world around us are all great ways to ensure we are dedicating time to loving ourselves. Meditation, yoga, taking up a new craft, or just sinking into a hot bath are all excellent examples of things we can do to enhance our daily lives and find the inner peace that is ultimately the purpose of hygge. You’re just a few little changes away from living life like the Danes.

Bring nature indoors by using organic materials, plants, foraged berries, flowers and branches to build a calming oasis