Hygge: The Art of Cozy

Let me introduce a Danish word to you. The word is hygge. Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) “is used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special.”

Hygge doesn’t require learning “how to”, adopting it as a lifestyle or buying anything. It’s not a thing and anyone telling you different either doesn’t understand it or is literally trying to sell you something that has nothing to do with the concept. You can’t buy a ‘hygge living room’ and there’s no ‘hygge foods’ to eat.

Hygge literally only requires consciousness, a certain slowness, and the ability to not just be present – but recognize and enjoy the present. That’s why so many people distill ‘hygge’ down to being a ‘feeling.’ You have to feel hygge.

Some also refer to hygge as an “art of creating intimacy” (either with yourself, friends and your home). While there’s no one English word to describe hygge, several can be used interchangeably to describe the idea of hygge such as coziness, charm, happiness, ‘contentness’, security, familiarity, comfort, reassurance, kinship, and simpleness.

Danes created hygge because they were trying to survive boredom, cold, dark and sameness and the undefinable feeling of Hygge was a way for them to find moments to celebrate or acknowledge and to break up the day, months or years. With so many cold, dark, days, the simple act of a candle glowing with a cup of coffee in the morning or a home cooked evening meal with friends can make a huge difference to one’s spirit.

By creating simple rituals without effort {such as brewing real tea with a little china cup every evening to stopping at the flower shop every week} the Danes see both the domestic and personal life as an art form and not every drudgery to get away from. They incorporate hygge into their daily life so it becomes a natural extension rather than a forced and stressful event.

So whether it’s making coffee a verb by creating a ritual of making it every morning to a cozy evening in with friends where you’re just enjoying each other’s company to the simple act of lighting a candle with every meal, hygge is just about being aware of a good moment.

(Read the full article at http://hyggehouse.com/hygge)


So how can you bring the art of cozy or hygge into your home this fall and winter?

Use candles … and a lot of them.

Candle light is the biggest component to hygge. They give a comforting, gentle light and help relax people. They make homes look cozy and inviting.

Blankets and cushions

The next thing you need is some cozy, nesting materials for your sofas. Warm snuggly blankets and soft cushions to relax into and keep you feeling warm. Fleece throws, warm socks, a snuggie, a knit blanket… Bring all the blankets and cushions.

People!

You need people for your hygge experience. Snuggling with your partner or family watching a movie; a group of friends sitting around gossiping with a glass of wine, a close friend and a delicious cake or table full of family enjoying a lovely meal by (of course) candlelight. Avoid talking about anything controversial to ensure the feeling of hygge continues - a hyggeligt evening is not about hot debate! It is about simplicity. No fancy competitive cooking, nor showing how clever your conversation is. It is a gathering of people to enjoy the simple pleasures of life together and to feel warm, cozy, and content.

Food and drink

Warm hot chocolate or a pot of tea with a home baked cake is hygge..a bottle of red wine and some nibbles…or just a bag of sweets in a bowl (not out of a bag - packaging is not hyggeligt)! Enjoy these delectable while watching a movie on the TV or having great conversation. Remember, presentation of your food and drink is important to hygge – it’s all about the experience and a commercial package on the table just won’t cut it!

I love the idea of cozy being an art form. I don’t think people pay enough attention to the feeling inside their home as they do the curb appeal outside of their home. The biggest thing for me is that hygge has nothing to do with material possessions but everything to do with people, happiness and enjoying the moment. Thank you, Denmark, for making the idea of people experiences over material possessions and technology popular. I think the world will end up owing you a great debt.