Okay, it’s definitely not pronounced like “get jiggy with it”, but I can’t help a catchy title. It’s pronounced kind of like hue-gah. It sounds like a lot of the other weird Danish words I learn in my Danish class, but have yet to pronounce correctly.
So what’s hygge? There have been multiple books published on it. This past week in Danish, I learned how to conjugate it. Yes, it’s a verb! But it’s also a noun, and an adjective. It’s having dinner with people you love the most. It’s cuddling up by the fire with coffee and a good book. I’ve heard of doctors recommending tea and hygge to cure a common cold.
Hygge acknowledges a moment. A feeling. It’s when you feel extraordinarily cosy, comforted, unique, and special. It’s a concept that appreciates the little moments we have in our lives that give us meaning. It’s family. It’s friends. It’s love. It’s grace.
When someone says “hyggeligt!” that means how nice, lovely, or good. It means nice to meet you! A pleasure!
Hygge is a concept I’d heard about before coming to Denmark, because it seems that hygge is now the trademark of Denmark to the rest of the world. It’s always been a part of Danish culture, but recently it’s picked up in popularity. Many of my friends received books about hygge before arriving in Denmark, because it is central to the identity of the Danish people.
Scandinavians like to get cosy. Is it because of the cold weather? That’s probably part of it - a way to altogether avoid seasonal affective disorder by keeping the love and happiness in the dreary winter months. But why are Americans now picking up on this notion of coziness? In 2016, there were six books published about hygge, with more to come in 2017. There is a yearning for coziness on the part of Americans, and I want to know why.
Well, the Danes are always ranked among the happiest people in the world. There is no question that hygge is partially responsible for this. Beyond the universal healthcare, fully funded education system, efficient infrastructure, shorter work hours, and more paid leave, the social practice of hygge allows Danes to truly get to know one another and appreciate one another. Because Danes don’t have the same financial pressures as Americans, it’s likely that they are freer to focus on those small things.
And, especially as a millennial, it seems that we should be capturing all of these hygge moments to share with our friends and family via pictures and social media. And I will let you in on a secret blessing of my abroad experience: my phone has been the absolute worst.
It’s battery is shot, and everywhere I went to get it fixed said they couldn’t fix it on site, but would have to ship it away for a week. Because, unfortunately, there is no Apple in Denmark. My other option was to go to an Apple in Sweden to fix my always-dying battery. And while this is more feasible, I guess I have a mental block with having to go to another country to get my phone fixed.
This being said, I’ve found a gift in a phone that dies. Yes, it would be nice to have a phone that didn’t die at 82%. But, in a weird way, it’s been nice to not even have access to my phone. When I would thing “wow, I should Snap this”, and my phone is dead, I’ve found that I’m more able to fully see a beautiful moment.
I don’t care as much about the Instagram stories, Snapchats sent, or pictures for home. Of course, I’d like some (I’m not crazy). But being able to take a walk with just myself, and truly just myself, I’ve been able to find more peace in that solitude. I’ve been able to have a full conversation with someone over coffee without looking at my phone, worrying about someone I should email or someone else I should text to make my next plans.
I’m more present, and I’m more present in the small things. I get to know more people up close. I get to breathe deeply in a park, knowing that moment is only for me. I get to look around at the lights at the holiday markets and let my heart fill with that joy that Christmas brings, and let that be enough. No Insta story, no VSCO edit, no Snapchat of “Christmas is here!!”
Hygge is something that should be easier. It should be more of an inclination for us, as Americans, to want to see our family and actually spend time with them. We should want to see our old friend for coffee and not think about that email about an internship for an hour. We should alternate binge watching with reading a book that makes us really think.
Hygge is a concept, but moreover it’s an action. Danes work for hygge. It’s a commitment to yourself, to your family, and to your friends. So this holiday season (and hopefully beyond), think more hygge. It’s maybe a challenge, but hopefully it’s more of a gift. Give that gift to yourself, and the people you love.
