The winter season is often filled with the joy of the holidays, but how do we overcome those mid-season blues? This is where Danish tradition, hygge, comes in.
I recently stumbled across a couple blog posts that mentioned hygge & was instantly intrigued. As I read through these posts & went to my friend Google for more info, I knew this was something I wanted to incorporate into my life & mention here on the blog.
Now, some of you may already know what hygge is (because I’m often behind the times), but for those of you who don’t I’ll describe the tradition & offer some suggestions on how to start including it right now!
Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is a Danish practice of embracing positivity & enjoying the little things in life. It’s truly a simple concept & not a lifestyle move, but a way of living. There is no direct translation of hygge, but the closest thing we have to it is coziness. Basically, hygge is focusing on joy, togetherness, socializing, & feeling warmth through different activities.
So how can you create hygge? It looks different for everyone, but it’s what brings you happiness & a positive outlook on life. Here are some suggestions:
- Make your home as comfy as possible
- Find a new, cozy coffee shop to enjoy with a friend
- Curl up by a fire with fuzzy socks & a good book
- Do fun holiday activity with friends/family
- Show people you love them
- Host a low-key dinner party with friends & family
- Dig through old family photos for a good laugh
- Try a new comfort food recipe
- Light candles & enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other without electronics/TV
- Take a walk & enjoy the nature around you
- Savor the holiday decorations & festive lights around town
Maybe you’re feeling stressed out due to the holiday season, or maybe 2016 was a rocky year for you. Embracing hygge & adopting it into your life will seriously change it for the better. This tradition works…the Danes aren’t consistently at the top of the World Happiness Report for no reason. And hygge isn’t something we should do during the colder, more miserable months. This is a practice we should seriously consider all year long. We may not be able to control outside events, but we can control our reactions to them, & that’s what hygge aims to do.
