You should!
Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah or hue-gah) is a Danish concept for which there is no comparable English word. The closest we get is "coziness," but it really means so much more.
The Danes use the word hygge as a verb ("You and the family should come over and hygge with us tonight"), an adjective ("The fireplace and flannel blanket makes this livingroom so hygge"), or a noun ("You need more hygge in your life").
Dan and I were introduced to the concept of hygge a couple of years ago and have fully embraced it. :) I was re-introduced last year while reading The Year of Living Danishly. In the book, the author is on a quest to discover why Denmark is repeatedly named the happiest nation in the world, despite harsh winters, high taxes, and other adversaries.
Dan surprised me this week with The Little Book of Hygge, and I have devoured it over the last few days. The author explains that hygge can be a year-round practice, but the Danes practice it the most in the winter, which is quite long and dark for them. The idea is having practices in place so that instead of dreading the impending cold, dark season, you have a way to embrace is through coziness and togetherness. (And the book has recipes! So adorable).
There are so many ways to practice hygge, but here are my top hygge essentials:
- Tea. Hot drinks are one of the top hygge practices in Denmark, and I'm not a coffee drinker, so tea it is :)
- Our fireplace. Our firewood was delivered last week and all five of us spent about an hour stacking it. We've already had two fires, and it's definitely something that marks the season for us.
- Candles. This is another top one for the Danes as well.
- Crocheting. There's something very cozy about creating something warm and comforting.
- Cooking. Being in my kitchen is so hygge for me, especially if I'm making something like soup. ;)
- Slippers. Dan and I splurged on nice slippers from L. L. Bean last year, and they've been one of my favorite things to wear.
So check out the book or any of the following articles on hygge and dig in. Especially if you're in a state that experiences long winters. There's no need to white-knuckle it through the cold and snow! Bring it on! :)
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