Hygge: The Art of Cozy
Hygge. If you haven’t stumbled upon this easily mispronounced concept yet, it’s only a matter of time before you do. The Danish way of life, roughly translating to “cozy,” has become an international craze and buzzword, landing a well-earned place in the Oxford Dictionary and spurring the production of more than 20 books on U.S. soil last year alone.
Social media has been abuzz with interest too. Pinterest estimates it to be one of the hottest trends for home decor after a 286 percent surge in hygge-related searches came up over the past year. Twitter and Instagram are equally littered with hygge hashtags, as subscribers seek to define what constitutes legitimate coziness.
Hygge—pronounced much like a car horn in a black and white cartoon (“hoo-guh”)—is something of a Danish national manifesto and for good reason. Despite harsh winters, bookended with dark and dreary days (the nation averages more than 171 days of rain annually), the Danes are notoriously happy people, ranking among the most congenial according to surveys conducted by the United Nations and others. While hygge is a year-round pursuit within Scandinavian culture, its mass appeal is highest in the winter season. No longer does Old Man Winter have to be endured. Thanks to hygge, he can be embraced fully.
Hygge is hard to define clearly because it’s something of an open-ended concept, laced throughout the Danish vernacular like rows in a cross stitch. In the mother tongue, hygge can be used as a noun, adjective, verb or a compound noun (take, for instance, the tongue-in-cheek hyggebukser which roughly translates to “pants I would never in a million years wear in public, but let’s be honest, I wore them all weekend at home” or the equally impressive hyggekrog, “a little corner in my house where I can get cozy”—think bay window or a small reading nook in the den). The Danes are crazy about adding hygge to words to define the act of making everyday activities and places warm and inviting, peaceful and comforting.
What can be defined cledarly as hygge is this: ambiance, aesthetic and that warm fuzzy feeling you get when both are just right. This is most aptly characterized by candlelit nooks, woolen socks, hot tea and pastries and a roaring fire. The Danes view candlelight as the most intrinsically important, more a natural antidepressant than a fire hazard, which is perhaps one of the reasons tapers and votives find themselves gracing the shelves of schoolrooms and workspaces as much as hearth and home. Not surprisingly, the Danes consume more unscented candles than any other people in the world, burning more than 13 pounds of melted wax per person each year. We Americans tend to utilize this ambient lighting best throughout the holidays but shelve it at the start of the year. Is it any wonder the winter blues tend to reach full effect in January? Hygge gives its patrons full license to indulge in holiday illumination all throughout the winter season.
Hygge imparts equal value on relationship toward environment, food and people. It’s embodied in thick porridge, hearty stew and mulled cider, but experienced more fully when all are partaken with those whom you love most. Hygge, at its heart, is about savoring but it’s also about simplicity. It’s indulgence with moderation. Hygge cannot be bought. It’s found in being grateful for what you have, determining to find joy and beauty in the midst of the daily grind, while seeking to live authentically and fully engaged with friends and family. Because it’s not so much about having the right candles or the right mugs as having the right perspective.
Ways to “Hygge-ify” a Home
Playing a board game with your son, finger knitting with your daughter, looking through old family photo albums with your mother. Chances are, you’ve already engaged in hygge at one time or another without realizing it. Here are some other ways you can up the hygge factor in your home.
- More face time, less Facetime. Put limits on how much screen time you and your family engage in on a daily basis. Consider downloading an app that restricts usage after a certain point to keep everyone in check. Place a basket in a convenient location where everyone can put their devices during mealtimes and family activities (make sure all phones and tablets are placed on silent so updates do not interrupt guarded time). When devices are used, install a blue light filter to ensure usage does not impact your ability to sleep well at night (especially important because it gets dark so early throughout the winter months).
- Declare a daily teatime. Or coffee. Or chai. Whatever your favorite hot drink of choice is, pick a fancy cup and a convenient time when you and your family can indulge and then guard it as sacred. You’ll be amazed at how revered that time will become. Break out the fine china or surprise everyone with an indoor picnic session complete with a tablecloth on the floor by the fireplace. Simple snacks like biscotti and lemon curd add extra pizzazz. And consider this: Teatime may be one of the best times to read to your children (after all, when little hands are busy and mouths are full, it’s hard to interrupt or get distracted!).
- Take dinner up a notch. There’s no need to make filet mignon every night to have a special dinner. After all, presentation is everything. Even if supper consists of a prepackaged meal, you still can make it magical with the right mood. Stream instrumental music, turn down the house lights and adorn your table with battery-operated candles (completely kid safe). No fireplace? No worries. There’s an app for that (I kid you not).
Lauren Greenlee has been a huge fan of hygge long before she knew it to have a name. She handicrafts by firelight (and writes) from her Olathe home.