Why We All Need a Little Hygge Right Now

Have you ever been asked during an icebreaker activity to talk about your favorite season and why? My answer has never started with a W.

In the northern lands of Wisconsin, as the days get shorter and the weather turns colder, dread starts to seep into my bones. During a typical winter, the idea of fun holiday get togethers, date nights out, concerts, hot yoga, and maybe even a trip down south would help me get through the dark nights. But as the third wave of Covid 19 surges, we know that the safest thing we can do to protect ourselves and others is to stay home (during winter, which is my fourth favorite season).

I have a new found relationship with my home thanks to 2020. It sometimes reminds me of being on a cruise ship where you're stuck with the same people in the same space all the time. You can move around and explore it, but you're pretty much confined to it. Sure, you can get off it when you land in a port for a short period of time, but you have to get right back on it. I love my home and take great pride in making it as lovely as I can for my family, but I've never considered myself homebody. I miss what 2019 was like, and it's been a long eight months already.

According to some experts, we're about to embark on the toughest winter in at least a generation or two. This makes me wonder, how will we continue to spend our days and nights at home?

The answer: Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah). Hygge is the art of coziness that has been perfected by the Danish/Scandinavian people for hundreds of years. Hygge not only translates in Danish as “cozy,” but a better definition of hygge is “intentional intimacy, which happens when you have safe, balanced and harmonious shared experiences." Drinking a glass of wine with a friend in front of a fireplace, or even a summer picnic in the park could both count as shared experiences of intentional intimacy. Ask a Dane about why they are considered one of the happiest people in the world, and most will tell you that Hygge is central to their well being. Hygge can help to buffer us against stressors, while promoting an environment that fosters safety and trust. If Scandinavians are some of the happiest people in the world, they've got to be doing something right.

If you're a little suspect but you want to give it a try, it helps to know the WHY behind Hygge. The overall goal of Hygge is to feel comfortable and cozy, which leads to feeling intimacy and trust with those around you and with yourself. To Hygge (Hygge is also a verb) is to focus on the small things that really matter, including spending more quality time with friends and family and enjoying the good things in life.

Hygge Musts:

Fire:

As homo sapiens, we are only one tiny genetic portion of DNA away from our ancient ancestors who relied on fire for food, warmth, and protection. If it wasn't for fire, we would not have survived. We are evolutionarily wired to seek out fire because it makes us feel good. There's nothing cozier than sitting by the fireplace with your favorite human(s), animal(s) or book, sipping a yummy beverage, and staring into the heart of the flames as you hear the faint pops and cracks of wood burning. If you don't have a fireplace, light some candles and stare into those flames.

Most Danes believe that candles are at the center of creating the Hygge atmosphere at home. According to Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, a Danish person burns 13 POUNDS of candles on average every year! Turn off those overhead lights, spark some candles, and feel the cozy vibes.

Comfort Food and Hot Drinks: The Hygge way of eating and drinking is all about indulging mindfully and enjoying the simple pleasures. Take your time and savor a hot cup of coffee or piece of cake your daughter made earlier that day. Go ahead, you deserve it!

Knitted Textiles: Curling up in a soft, chunky blanket is a must, as well as wearing oversized sweaters and thick socks. Materials that feel good to the touch, especially woven materials, is so very Hygge. Sweatpants count too.

Nature: Not all of Hygge happens at home. Getting outside and spending time in nature is restorative and refreshing and also part of the Hygge lifestyle. When all your senses are in full use outside, being present happens naturally. There is a growing body of research on nature and its positive impact on mental health and overall wellbeing. Spending time outside makes us feel good. Even better, bring elements of nature inside for the real Hygge experience.

Togetherness: According to Wiking from The Little Book of Hygge, more than half of Danes believe it takes three to four people to have Hygge. The smaller and more intimate the better in terms of creating the feeling of togetherness. The bonds of intimacy and trust is built with this small group of people. Put the phones away and roll up your sleeves for a game of charades (or in our family “Bag of Nouns”).

Despite winter descending on us during the time of Covid, thinking about getting cozy in my home with my family or strapping on some boots and moving outside, gives me hope that we can get through this and come out on the other side. Perhaps we’ll even feel stronger bonds with our loved ones, ourselves, and our community as we continue to hunker down in our homes and welcome 2021 as if our lives depend on it. As Mary Laura Philpott recently reminded us from her article in the New York Times, “I will never forget this chapter in our lives. I hate the reason for it. All these things are true. For now, I will let myself feel gratitude for this time…And when the panic rises, I’ll remind myself: This isn’t forever. It never was.” Hygge can only help us make the most of it.