(Photo: Christmas Market in Tivoli, Copenhagen by User “Maria Eklind”, CC BY-SA 2.0, Flickr) (Photo by User “Lilya.pavlenko27”, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)Ĭhristmas is, obviously, the most “hyggelige” time of the year in Denmark. Just see the news articles: “Denmark tops happiest country in the world 2017” (Study in Denmark), “Welcome to the happiest country on Earth” (CBS News), “Here’s why people in Denmark are happier than anyone else in the world” (Business Insider). And it is the big reason why (that is, in addition to the Nordic welfare model that greatly reduces stress and anxiety) Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. Happiness Research InstituteĬandles, coffee, socks, fireplace, lamps, books, films, handwritten letters, notebooks, stews, wooden things, mulled wine, a meal cooked by 3-4 people, togetherness, cosiness, comfort, casualness, egalitarianism, simplicity, modesty-that’s what hygge sounds and looks like. You may be having an endless conversation about the small or big things in life – or just be comfortable in each other’s silent company – or simply just be by yourself enjoying a cup of tea. A feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down. It is about being with the people we love. Hygge, writes Wiking, is:Ībout an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. The first time ‘hygge’ appeared in written Danish was around the early 1800s.
“Hygge” is a Danish word that originates from a Norwegian word meaning “well-being”.
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking (2016, Penguin) Coming from the fields of economics, anthropology, psychology, political science, philosophy and design, the folks at the Happiness Research Institute aim “to inform decision makers of the causes and effects of human happiness, make subjective well-being part of the public policy debate, and improve quality of life for citizens across the world”. Well, what is hygge (pronounced hoo-gah)? The concept is explained very well in The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking ( CEO of the Happiness Research Institute ( Facebook)-an independent think tank based in Copenhagen exploring why some societies are happier than others. Recently, I saw British author Hari Kunzru poking fun at Scandinavia with the following tweet: “The five stages of contemporary Scandinavian fiction: (1) Hygge, (2) Quietly despairing, (3) Wartime secrets, (4) Alcohol, rage and shame, (5) Serial murder.” I first encountered it on the art and design blog Creative Boom.
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