Donning a cosy sweater. Cuddling by the fire. Sipping a warm cup of cocoa with friends. As the holiday season approaches, now’s a perfect time to perfect the Danish art of hygge.
Pronounced “hoo-ga,” hygge is loosely defined as “cosiness,” “good social atmosphere,” “intimacy of the soul,” and “soothing things.” It has also been described as finding pleasure and peace in the simplest of things. But for the Danes, hygge is more than just a word: it connotes a way of life.
“Hygge is something that I’ve known about my whole life,” Maritimer Carsten Knox told CTV Atlantic. “It’s used to describe a certain idea, sort of a coziness. It’s used to describe a feeling of family, especially around the holidays.”
Knox learned about hygge from his Danish mother’s family. Recently, he even hosted a hygge party in his home. People did, well… whatever!
While the word might be new to Canadians, it is actually a centuries-old concept. Perhaps it’s no coincidence, then, that Denmark, with its culture of coziness, is frequently listed as one of the happiest countries in the world.
"There’s definitely something great about the way the Danes feel about their work-life balance,” Knox said. “About taking time for family; taking time to enjoy the finer things in life.”
With files from CTV Atlantic
