Get Hyggely!

March 19, 2018

Hygge (pronounced sort of like a mixture of Hugh-guh and hoo-guh) is a Danish word for a feeling of coziness, comfort and contentment -- often with dim light and a shared burden of some sort. In a recent podcast, Danish author Meik Wiking said a perfect way to experience hygge would be to gather with your friends in a cabin in the woods, with a fire in the fireplace and all cook and enjoy a meal together. The interviewer said, "Wow -- I guess it doesn't get much more hyggely than that!" Meik answered, "Yes, it does -- it could be raining."

We don't have an equivalent word for hygge in English, and I feel like we, as Americans, often don't have equal respect for the value of hyggeliness. We're so often on-the-go and can get burned out. When it comes to the happiness of their inhabitants, Nordic countries always rank among the highest. They seem to just have a natural feeling for how to keep balance between work and play.

One easy way to bring a little hygge into your life is to turn off your overhead lights and eat dinner by candlelight -- whether you're with your family, a special someone or even dining alone. It makes sense -- we tend to relax and sit longer in restaurants with dim lighting, right? Why not do the same at our own dinner tables? This has become the norm at our house and it really does calm the craziness of the dinner hour (and the craziness of the dinner EATING, which had become a little too hurried over here).

Try it at your house one night this week and let me know how it goes!