In Winter, Embrace The Danish Concept of Hygge
As the cold weather arrives and the nights start to draw in, comfort and cosiness begin to look increasingly appealing.
Pronounced as 'hoo-ga' - hygge is a Danish word that refers to a deep sense of cosiness, warmth, friendship and contentment. And while it doesn't have a direct translation into English, it loosely represents a comfortable and peaceful way of life. The term is said to come from a Norwegian word meaning "wellbeing" and first appeared in Danish writing in the 19th century.
Hygge has since evolved to become a key way of life and culture in Denmark, with many arguing it is a major contributor to Danish people’s happiness - and the nation repeatedly features at the top of the world's happiest countries. For many, it’s about enjoying the smaller, simpler things in life, like reading a book in front of a fire whilst sipping on a hot chocolate. The term also incorporates a sense of being close to loved ones, feeling safe and stable.
In recent years, the Danish term ‘hygge’ has become the word to describe that blissful state of contentment and well-being. This is largely thanks to the hundreds of books, blogs and articles dedicated to the quintessentially Danish concept. Indeed, Hygge has become so popular in English that in 2016, both the Oxford Dictionary and Collins Dictionary named it one of their words of the year.
Hygge is what many people call an untranslatable word - a word for which there is no exact translation or equivalent in another language. Untranslatable words are often used to make up for something that is lacking in our own language, a certain feeling or emotion that we can’t quite express.
Dr Tim Lomas of the University of East London says: “One reason we may be drawn to particular words is because they seem to capture an experience that we ourselves may have had but lack a suitable word for it in our own language, and so they help us express and articulate ourselves in ways we might have previously struggled to.”
