This past Summer I read a book written by Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark called The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living. It’s a short read, but I highly recommend checking it out because once I started it I couldn’t put it down! Prior to reading it, I had no idea what hygge was, but it’s actually a really interesting concept. In this article, I’m going to tell you a little bit about hygge and how you can use it in your day-to-day lives to work toward creating a happier environment all around you.
Hygge is a Danish term, pronounced hoo-ga, that literally translates to coziness or a state of contentment. However, as Wiking points out in the book, “Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home.”
Hygge is basically happiness in a nutshell. There a certain scenarios and things and weather and food that are more ‘hyggeligt’ than others, and this little book covers all of them, but the wonderful thing about hygge is that every person has their own specific recipe.
So, what are some ways to make your life more hygge?
Just look at Wiking’s “Hygge Emergency Kit.” In it you’ll find everything you need:
1.) Candles – The first chapter of the book is all about the significance of lighting in creating a hygge environment. But, the most hygge of all lighting is candles. So light a candle whenever you can to instantly brighten the mood!
2.) Some good-quality chocolate – Sweets, especially chocolate, are very ‘hyggeligt.’ So buy some good quality chocolate to always have on hand. Not a chocolate person? That’s okay because cake and pastries will do the trick, too! Treat yourself for the sake of hygge!
3.) Your favorite book – Wiking says to pick up the book that you lose yourself in to create hygge. Take a break from textbooks and forget about the outside world for a little.
4.) Your favorite film or TV series – Netflix and chill, obvi! Friends is always by hygge TV show go-to <3
5.) Your favorite tea – According to the most recent survey, the #1 thing Danes associate hygge with is hot drinks. I love a warm cup of Sleepytime tea before bed to create some nice hygge. Not a fan of tea? Try hot cocoa, chai, or coffee if it’s day-time. For extra hygge points, have your drink in a mug – ceramics happen to be very ‘hyggeligt’!
6.) Jam – There’s just something about jam man that makes you smile – especially home-made.
7.) A good pair of woolen socks – Pull out the Smart Wools and cozy up.
8.) A selection of your favorite letters – Sadly, this is becoming a lost past-time because most communication these days is done electronically, but if you happen to have some old letters keep them close-by and turn to them when you want to add some hygge. There’s just something about a hand-written letter that is extra special – it’s a good way to relax, remember, and reconnect.
9.) A warm sweater – The casual the better when it comes to hygge clothing. Cozy, warm, worn-in sweaters are especially ‘hyggeligt.’ (And definitely needed for the SLU winters we all love)
10.) A notebook – You could call this your hygge journal and use it to reflect on the year, the week, or the day. It’s always stress-relieving and beneficial to get your thoughts down on paper.
11.) A nice blanket
12.) Paper and pen – Now that you know hand-written letters can add hygge to someone’s life why not take some time in the day to write a friend, family member, or loved one a nice letter.
13.) Music – Put on a song that makes you smile.
14.) A photo album – Kind of similar to the hand-written letter, actual photo-albums are being replaced by Facebook ones nowadays. So Wiking suggests to get some of those photos on Facebook developed and put them into an album to have on hand. I know one of my favorite things to do is look through my favorite old photos. Do it while drinking a warm mug of tea on a wintery stormy night and it’ll be extra ‘hyggeligt!’
These are just some of the broader categories of hygge. In the book, there’s whole chapters devoted to specific food and drink (recipes included), clothing, activities, and weather that are especially ‘hyggeligt’, but included in this list are just some simple, quick, and easy ways to transform the space around you into a cozy, welcoming, warm, and happy environment.
It’s important, especially in college, to do your best to create a place that feels like home. As Wiking says on the last page of the book, “Hygge is about making the most of what we have in abundance: the everyday,” so look around you and take-in the simple pleasures and the little things that make you happy!
Source: Wiking, M. (2017). The little book of hygge: Danish secrets to happy living. New York, NY: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.