“Remember that lovely evening surrounded by friends at home, maybe with a glass or cup of tea and baked goods on the table. There were candles, the rain was beating on the window outside. There was laughter, conversation, and a feeling of comfort…you were present in the moment together. There was no before or after that mattered. That’s hygge.” ~ Unknown
My upcoming book Write Your Way Through Change: a 21-Day Devotional Journal for Grief and Major Life Transitions, is releasing on Amazon on February 25th. I wrote it to help people use creative expression to cope with loss and change. Creative expression is extremely valuable, but sometimes you need comfort too.
Whenever someone asks me how they can support themselves or a loved one during a time of grief and major life transition, my go-to piece of advice is to find coziness.
Imagine my elation when I stumbled upon a new word, one I’ve never heard before, but have known all my life. The Danes created a concept to help them cope with the long cold winters where dark lasted up to 17 hours a day.
The word hygge, is the Danish concept of coziness. It’s creating an atmosphere of comfort, warmth and well being by surrounding yourself and connecting with the things you love. Treasuring simple moments and allowing time to be present is the key to the concept of hygge (pronounced hue-guh).
Feeling warm, comfortable and safe are the pieces of hygge demonstrated by lighting candles, curling up in a soft blanket while reading a favorite book, warm feet hugged by thick hand knit socks, embracing the little comforts around you. It’s an art that is practiced and perfected as coziness settles in around you. It speaks to a mood of contentment that is larger than a single word. Hygge encompasses a feeling of cozy comfort; a space filled up with what brings you simple joy.
Designing an atmosphere of soft comfort around you is a must when living more than half a day in darkness. Reading about hygge and the importance it plays in the Danish psyche, caused me to look around my surroundings. I think I have hygge comforts and didn’t know it had a name.
My couch is large and full of soft pillows that can be squished to fit any laying around position. There are warm throws on the backs of my chairs and folded under tables for easy access. I have candles lining my mantle and across the window transom leading to my screened porch. They are marvelous, battery powered on a timer and turn on magically at dusk creating a soft moody glow even when I’m not home. The wall sconces on either side of my fireplace and the chandelier lighting over my kitchen counter are all on dimmer switches which allow me to control the brightness down to a pale slice of light.
I have baskets of lovely hand-knit shawls that are a must when feet are propped up and the fireplace becomes a show all its own. They give an embrace of remembering the places knitting needles and yarn came together to create the lacy or sturdy patterns. I know which shawl was knit during my trip to Italy with Ukulele playing friends. I remember the wrap that kept my hands busy and my mind quiet while sitting with my husband during his chemo treatments. A favorite is a large soft rectangle wrap of pale grey cloud, the yarn dotted with shine and smooth texture, a gift from my daughter. It has accompanied me on long plane rides and covered my shoulders and knees when I was in need of a hug.
So, there you have it. I’ve discovered the beauty of hygge and am proud to expand its purpose, recognizing the beauty in simple cozy comforts. I want to have more of it. I’ve decided to go on winter picnics, make a batch of sangria to share (or not), have pie for breakfast and pancakes for dinner by the tv. Look around your surroundings. Are there any spots that need a bit of Danish Hygge? We are blessed not to have hours of darkness longer that our days, but we all could use the cozy comfort of a scented warm bath shared with twinkling votives or a good magazine. Life moves too fast, give yourself time to slow it down.
No wonder Denmark is known as one of the happiest countries in the world!
Get your Hygge on!
Get comfy, a favorite beverage and your journal. My new book, Write Your Way Through Change, a 21-Day Journal Prompt Workbook is almost here. Become inspired to write your story. There’s comfort in the telling, even if it’s just to yourself.