Have you ever come into the house after taking a brisk walk, raking autumn leaves, or building a snowman, shed your coat, hat, and boots, and settled down to a cup of something hot? You know that cozy feeling you get as you warm your hands on the mug? Maybe, you’re with friends and family; maybe you’re alone. That feeling you’re having is hygge.
Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is the Danish not-so-secret secret to happy living. It means “creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people,” according to the Visit Denmark website. The word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017, reflecting the adoption of a philosophy of life that may be one of the reasons Denmark ranks among the world’s happiest countries.
Can we apply hygge to hosting over the fall holidays in the U.S.?
It may be a Danish word, but there’s no reason the philosophy can’t be applied to our lives here in the U.S. As the fall brings colder days and longer nights, when people are spending more time together indoors, it’s the perfect time to bask in the glow of hygge.
Hygge is about creating an informal and relaxing atmosphere
It’s about creating a warm atmosphere in your surroundings and your approach. Cozy is a word you often hear when hygge is being explained. It’s sitting in candlelight, savoring mulled wine, wrapping up in soft blankets, and lounging on throw pillows. It’s about the atmosphere these things create and not the things themselves.
Hygge is time spent with family or close friends
It’s about being together, whether you’re talking, watching a movie, or eating comforting food.
Hygge is finding the joy in the moment
When hygge made the shortlist for the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year in 2016, there was a lot of fanfare and interest. In an interview by NPR host Ailsa Chang, on Weekend Edition Sunday, the author of The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking, explained what might be considered to be hyggelig to include simple comforts like enjoying a cup of tea or reading a book by the window. Anything that is “too pretentious” or “too expensive” is not hyggelig. “It’s everyday comfort food for everyday people.”
Fall and winter can be hard on people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder with the change in seasons that brings fewer hours of sunlight. The holidays can bring their own stress and anxiety. Consider taking it down a notch to enjoy the simple foods and drinks in a warmly lit room under a soft blanket, either alone or with others, in the atmosphere of hygge, for your health and well-being.
Recognize the simple comforts with the people you love as the days get shorter.
-The Team at down etc
Read more:
Do You Suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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