Hygge – The Danish Art of Happiness
Holiday Celebrations Tips
Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary, or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special. Hygge (or to be “hyggeligt”) doesn’t require learning “how-to”, adopting it as a lifestyle or buying anything. While the notion of hygge is most central in Denmark, however, the term derives from a Norwegian word, hugga, which loosely means “to comfort,” and is also related to the English word “hug.”
The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a kind of coziness that evokes feelings of contentment and wellbeing. It is also an essential concept in Danish culture. Many articles on hygge mention items like candles, hot chocolate, and oversized sweaters, as well as being in the company of loved ones.
Since we are in the holiday season, I thought I would share with my readers about this hygge and a way of living. I think the concept is perfect for the holiday. Who does not love a warm blanket, hot Coco, and relaxing with a good book? About 15 years ago, I was introduced to this unique way of living when one of my professors taught a Danish happiness lesson. So, I thought this would be a perfect time to share with you guys this style of living. I am listing a few things to get you the idea of the lifestyle and show you how you can incorporate this into your daily life.
Hygge says so
. You need to build an “emergency kit” containing the following items: candles, chocolate, favorite tea, book/movie/music, a pair of fluffy socks, a warm sweater, a beautiful blanket, a diary, paper, and envelopes for letters, photo albums.
When you feel the need to reconnect with yourself, use the emergency kit. Sometimes, flipping through albums with old photos, you remember writing a letter of gratitude and sending it to a loved one. The principles are simple. You silently give the outside world and reconnect to the world inside you. You prioritize the things that matter to you. How do you do that? Following a few standard step
How to Hygge Your Life
Soften and simplify your home with hygge decor.
Bring the great outdoors indoors with plants. …
Spend quality time with friends and family. …
Designate a hygge niche.
Avoid multi-tasking. …
Remove stressors. …
Leave work at a reasonable time. …
Wear comfortable clothing. …
Hygge – The Danish Art of Happiness
Be Present
Turn off your cell phone. Or any other device that can distract you and rob you of concentration.
It Creates Harmony
Do not enter competitive discussions with others. It doesn’t matter who is the best, who has the most material or professional achievements, what political orientations we have, or what a bright future we are building for our children. Every human being is unique and incomparable. And we can learn something valuable from each one if we give ourselves the chance to discover it as it is.
Delight your senses
Every day is worth celebrating with cakes, pastries, hot and aromatic drinks. The critical term is slow food—Cook for yourself and your loved ones. Moreover, cook with others and make it a real celebration. Enjoy the slow process of preparation and appreciate the time you spend—Bake bread at home. Knead the dough with your hands. Arrange them all nicely and serve them on holiday plates. He lights candles, burns a fragrant stick, and mutes the music.
When you manage to create harmony in your life, it flows gracefully into the Universe embracing everything in its path.
Why is it so hard to admit that simple and small things are the ones that fulfill us? Why do we run after adventure, spectacular, unique, fabulous, memorable, sensational, and waste ourselves in a sterile search, forgetting to appreciate the present moment and its gifts? After all, we need so few things to be happy. While reading, I bet that a lot of hygge stuff you used to do during your summer holidays with your grandparents, with your childhood friends or in various other contexts, with different other people, will come to mind.
