Hygge
Picture the coziest, fuzziest blanket you have. The warm glow of the fireplace and the crackling sparks that create a gentle white noise in your family room. A mug of hot cocoa. A big bear hug from someone you love. Pillows upon pillows upon pillows. A freshly baked, straight-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie. Low light and candles with your favorite scent. The snuggliest pair of pajamas in your closet.
This is cozy as it gets. And this is one of my favorite things about home.
Hygge.
It has a Danish origin and dates back to the early 1800s. If you travel to Copenhagen, you’ll see this Danish word on dish towels, clothing, books, candles, stationery, and just about any tourist memorabilia you could imagine.
My family first learned about hygge through one of my dad’s coworkers. One day, she wore a fleece sweatshirt to the office that had “Hygge” printed across the front. Curious as to what this word meant, my dad asked her how to pronounce what he assumed wasn’t an English word (it’s “hooga”). She explained its meaning. It describes the Danish way of life: “taking time away from the daily rush to be together with people you care about—or even by yourself—to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures” (Denmark.dk). It’s all of what I listed above—the things that make you feel calm, comfortable, and warm inside.
And well, that has been the Steuben way of living since my mom and dad started our family. My mom has an incredible gift for turning any room into a haven. And yes, she happens to be Danish herself. While we didn’t know it for a long time, hygge is in her blood!
It was so neat to learn that there was a word for our favorite atmosphere, a word for the way we had been living most of our lives.
Since learning this Danish term, hygge has been sprinkled all throughout our home. Its definition is framed in our family room, “The Little Book Of Hygge” sits on our coffee table, and it’s now a common part of our vocabulary.
Our dog Maple has hygge down to a fine art. She’s a master at finding the coziest spot in any room, typically on mounds of pillows or in the middle of several blankets.
Some wonder if that’s why Denmark has been named the “Happiest Country in the World” for a number of years.
The Danish value the principle of slowing down to rest and enjoy life. Americans aren’t as keen on trading the hustle for a quiet candlelit evening. And I don’t know… but maybe, just maybe, that could be correlated to our lower ranking of happy people.
Danish or not, we all love being cozy and comfortable. Other cultures have different ways of describing hygge. You might have seen some of the social media trends of people romanticizing rather mundane aspects of their lives. (I made a blog post about that, too!) I’d argue this is hygge too. Whatever cozy means to you, that’s hygge.
Hygge is the absolute best during the holiday season. When it gets colder outside, it gets cozier inside. The thought of wrapping myself in a blanket three times my size and sinking into our couch makes me squeal. I love that our house is lit with warm strands of lights—so much so, we don’t even need our ceiling lights to light up the room. Garlands, trees, North Pole village houses, candles, and string lights are in every room.
Now that you know the most perfect word to describe ultimate coziness, I hope you’ll look for little ways to incorporate it into your winter season!
Remember, you are loved by God, wonderfully made, and beautifully you. Don’t let someone else’s voice speak louder than what’s true.
Until next time…
hugs,
Kylie
