{"id":4965,"date":"2018-05-05T06:29:52","date_gmt":"2018-05-05T06:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/classicaldifference.com\/?p=4965"},"modified":"2019-02-23T21:26:47","modified_gmt":"2019-02-23T21:26:47","slug":"hygge-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/classicaldifference.com\/hygge-for-all\/","title":{"rendered":"Hygge for All: Discover Denmark’s Secret to Happiness and Well-Being"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Spring 2018<\/pre>\n
\n
Hygge<\/em>\u00a0is taking the world by storm.<\/h5>\n
LOVERS OF HOBBIT HOLES and all things Norse will appreciate a new word coming out of Denmark\u2014hygge<\/em>. While the Danes may not see it this way, it seems to take simple age-old biblical principles and apply them to daily life. As you\u2019re rushing through the last weeks of winter while juggling homework, appointments, and a multitude of other activities, you might try a little\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u2014because, as Bilbo said, \u201cIt is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
T<\/span>his wildly popular Danish word comes from a small language with only about 5.6 million speakers. Few people outside Denmark can pronounce it, and there is no equivalent word or phrase in the English language. There is also no straightforward definition. The closest we can come is to say that hygge is a feeling of coziness, intimacy, or warmth. It is these things but so much more as well. Activities, d\u00e9cor, and experiences can be\u00a0hygge<\/em>. As translator ToveMaren Stakkestad says, \u201cHygge<\/em>\u00a0was never meant to be translated. It was meant to be felt.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what is all the\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0hype about?\u00a0Hygge<\/em>\u00a0is widely credited for boosting Denmark to the top of the World\u2019s Happiest Country list, which is compiled and released each year in the World Happiness Report. This is baffling to many people because it\u2019s no secret that Denmark suffers through grueling long, dark winters. Its citizens should be frozen, yes, and understandably depressed. And yet, here they are, touted as the happiest people on the planet. What gives?<\/p>\n
While it is hard to nail down a definition of\u00a0hygge<\/em>, most people would recognize the feeling it evokes if they have ever snuggled up with a comfy blanket and a mug of cocoa or tea by a roaring fireside while the winter wind whistles outside.<\/p>\n
\"\"The Danes would say that feeling of well-being, or coziness, is very\u00a0hygge<\/em>. In fact, anything that contributes to this feeling is considered\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0whether it comes from\u00a0 cuddling up with a good book or socializing around the dinner table with close friends and family over bowls of steaming hot soup and thick slabs of crusty bread.<\/p>\n
As it turns out, I\u2019ve been practicing\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0for years and just didn\u2019t know what it was called.\u00a0Hygge<\/em>, for me, is Friday night communal meals when my scattered family catches up around the dinner table. Or playing my violin by the fire-pit on a warm summer night while watching the fireflies dance. Signe Johansen, who wrote\u00a0How to<\/em>\u00a0Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life<\/em>, says, \u201cAt the core of\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0is the guiding principle that we must all make the most of the short time we have on this planet \u2026 And be kind to ourselves and those around us.\u201d\u00a0Hygge<\/em>\u00a0encompasses all aspects of life, but it can be broken down into a few key areas to make the concept easier to grasp for those who don\u2019t hail from Denmark.<\/p>\n
THE HOME: Hygge<\/em> Headquarters<\/h5>\n
Hygge<\/em>\u00a0starts at home. That\u2019s why Danes are particular about their surroundings. Home should have a \u201cwelcome; come on in; make yourself comfortable\u201d vibe. Wooden floors are preferable to carpet, but lush scatter rugs lend a comfy touch. Candles and good lighting are very important. Aesthetics aren\u2019t the only concern; Danes place a high value on entertaining at home, which is very\u00a0hygge<\/em>. And entertaining is much more prone to happen in a comfortable, clean, well-cared-for space. No one can relax in the midst of chaos.<\/p>\n
THE TABLE: In the Company of Others<\/h5>\n
Meik Wiking, who wrote\u00a0The Little Book of Hygge<\/em>, says, \u201cIn all the work I have done within the field of happiness research, this is the point I am surest about: the best predictor of whether we are happy or not is our social relationships.\u201d It turns out, the first line of defense against the long,\u00a0isolating winters is socializing, and what better way to socialize than over a meal? Danes often throw nutrition out the window when entertainin\"\"g. As Johansen says, \u201cIf you\u2019re contemplating a dessert with sweet potato, avocado, chia seeds, or anything \u2018clean,\u2019 then you\u2019ve kind of missed the point of\u00a0hygge,<\/em>\u00a0which is about enjoying delicious food, not fretting about whether it\u2019s healthy.\u201d Fretting aside, it is perfectly possible to enjoy healthy food that is also delicious despite what Johansen thinks. And really, who wouldn\u2019t rather have the best of both worlds? In this instance, food is merely the vehicle for gathering around a common table to chat and laugh, which is sure to lift spirits. Spending time with family and friends is the real nourishment.<\/p>\n
THE CELEBRATION: Making Good Days Even Better<\/h5>\n
Hygge<\/em>\u00a0really shines during celebrations. With decorations on the outside and goodwill on the inside, it\u2019s hard not to experience the benefits of\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0and want to incorporate them into each new day. Think of your ideal Christmas: If you can capture the excitement, contentment, and well-being of the season, you\u2019ll know exactly what to aim for once the holiday luster has faded, and the world returns to the hum-drum of everyday living.<\/p>\n
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Overcoming the Winter Blues<\/h5>\n
Danes subscribe to the old adage that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. One of the reasons they thrive during protracted winters is because they don\u2019t merely endure winter; they enjoy it. An important tenet of\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0is getting outside every day, even if it\u2019s only for a short brisk walk or a fast and furious snowball fight. While gym membership is not frowned upon, it\u2019s looked on as a distant second to time spent in nature. Suffering through exercise in an attempt to improve your physical appearance is not in keeping with the principles of\u00a0hygge<\/em>. Rather, participation in exercise is its own reward. An added benefit of exercising outside in nature is that it is calming. In a world that increasingly needs to \u201cdigitally detox,\u201d this is an important bonus. While culturally, perhaps, it is impossible to understand\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0in the way a native Dane can, we can slow down and consciously take moments to relax and improve the quality of our lives. In the end, it boils down to this: the acquisition of wealth is not the point of life. Living is the point of life. And that is a very\u00a0hygge<\/em>\u00a0perspective. \"ACCS_graphic_sm1\"<\/p>\n
\n
C\u00c9LESTE PERRINO-WALKER<\/strong>\u2019s favorite hygge<\/em> activities include knitting, hiking, spending time with her family, and curling up with a good book. She is the author of many inspirational articles and books.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div> Spring 2018 Hygge\u00a0is taking the world by storm. LOVERS OF HOBBIT HOLES and all things Norse will appreciate a new word coming out of Denmark\u2014hygge. While the Danes may not see it this way, it seems to take simple age-old biblical principles and apply them to daily life. As you\u2019re rushing through the last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4984,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[82,14,70],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHygge for All: Discover Denmark's Secret to Happiness and Well-Being - The Classical Difference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/classicaldifference.com\/hygge-for-all\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hygge for All: Discover Denmark's Secret to Happiness and Well-Being - The Classical Difference\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Spring 2018 Hygge\u00a0is taking the world by storm. 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