What Is Hygge & Why You Need It

What Is Hygge & Why You Need It

Just What is Hygge & What Does It Mean for Slow Living?

Perhaps you have heard something of the Nordic lifestyle of hygge (pronounced hyoo-guh). Hygge is an integral part of slow living within the Nordic culture. But just what is hygge really about? How does hygge cultivate an environment of happiness and wellbeing? Is hygge something we can emulate in other cultures or is it only for the Nordic people? Here in this blog, we hope to unravel more of what hygge is all about and to shine a light on how hygge could play a part within your own family rhythm.

The Essence of Hygge

Hygge can be difficult to define! It is about slowing down and intentionally choosing to spend time enjoying the activities and people whom you love [1]. Hygge originates from a Danish word meaning ‘wellbeing’. With this in mind, it is unsurprising that Nordic life is known for its peaceful, calm approach. Here, we believe in taking time over the things which we are passionate about. We believe in slow living because this enables us to prioritise the people and places we love and so live more fully. 

Yet, hygge is so much more than this. It is about enjoying life’s quieter pleasures [1]. In ‘The Little Book of Hygge’, the author tells us that hygge is “a feeling of home…it is a feeling that we are safe” [2]. Hygge is in the everyday, simple moments which make you feel alive. It could be a meal enjoyed at a slow pace with family and friends. Hygge could be the warm jumper which makes you feel secure and reminds you of your childhood. Hygge could be a cup of tea shared with a friend. What matters with slow living is taking the time to appreciate the simple joys in life. Within Nordic life, we prioritise hygge, and so slow living, because we believe that life is precious and should be cherished. 

Language Matters and So Does Hygge

In the book “Hygge – the Danish art of happiness” [3], the author Marie Søderberg discusses just how important language is when it comes to hygge and Nordic life. Hygge is difficult to translate into another language because it encompasses so much; an experience of togetherness, feelings of love, comfort, safety, being home. What is significant to the slow living culture of Nordic life, is that we notice and appreciate the beautiful, valuable experiences in our lives. This is why we need the word hygge! As Søderberg explains; the more we can communicate about hygge, and all its different forms, “the better we are able to realize it, create it, share it” [3]. Slow living is an intentional lifestyle. We say no to busyness, stress and those activities which zap us of our vitality so that we can say yes to family time, the outdoors and appreciating the beauty of the small moments. Hygge gives us the language to say to each other and ourselves: yes, this activity is hygge and we appreciate it and are passionate about it. 

Examples of Hygge

There are so many different forms of hygge. What matters to us is how valued each is. Hygge enables us to cultivate slow living. We live intentionally when we live with hygge at our center. Here are some valued forms of hygge within Nordic life.

  1. Food and drink: within Nordic life, our slow lifestyle enables us to prepare fresh, healthy, hearty nutritious meals. After all, you need to eat well in order to spend lots of time in the great outdoors. We slow down at mealtimes so that we can value conversation and time with our families. Our language reflects the centrality of food and drink to Nordic hygge; we have family-hygge, enjoy a hygge-beer with friends or munch on a hygge-snack together [3]. 


  1. Home: home is where the heart is; no-where is this truer than within Nordic culture. We desire for our homes to be restful, welcoming and peaceful. Hygge is all about having a warm atmosphere within our homes. Home should be a place for family to join together and a place to enjoy and deepen rich friendships. 

An example of one of the many practical ways that we achieve hygge within the home is by candles and lighting. Within Nordic life we tend to enjoy natural, organic candles (rather than the scented, mass-produced variety); reflecting our natural, wholesome slow living lifestyle. One survey found that over 90% of Danes light candles within their homes through the dark evenings of the Winter [2]. 


  1. Time within nature: yes, Nordic life centers around the great outdoors and our love affair with nature. We raise our children with a respect and awe for the natural world. Enjoying hygge by hiking with friends, exploring mountains, reading by a lake or simply breathing in the fresh, coolness of the outside air is essential to our well-being as individuals and as a people group. 


  1. Family and friends: here within Nordic culture, we prioritise relationships. For us, these need to be face-to-face and most commonly involve a shared experience in nature or enjoying delicious, fresh food together. Let’s reject time on screens in favour of real time spent together making new memories; for this captures the essence of hygge. 


  1. Hygge in the everyday: it is in the small and simple moments that we can prioritise hygge. Indeed, is not life made up of these little moments. Stopping to take a breath and noticing the way that your toddler carefully pushes his toy truck up his homemade ramp. Watching the smile and delight spread over the face of an old friend. Enjoying the warmth and comfort of a homemade stew with your family whilst the wind and rain rages outside. Hygge is in the everyday. It is all around us. We only need to stop, slow down and notice it.


May your days, and your family-life, be full of hygge. 



References

[1] https://denmark.dk/people-and-culture/hygge

[2] The Little Book of Hygge, accessed via: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=0v0TDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT8&dq=hygge&ots=qZYqF2m4va&sig=iK44ov15jUsZfpi2EVDBzyDyulg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=hygge&f=false

[3] Hygge- The Danish Art of Happiness, accessed via: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Q560DAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT236&dq=hygge&ots=yvytCflxuq&sig=80CcIEuhqZenOWWQFw8OM3NN3u0&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=hygge&f=false

 

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