Hygge and its Scandinavian aesthetic has grown in popularity over recent months, with many consumers wanting to achieve the art of living well.
Since the pandemic, there have tough years, with a series of bruising political events, heartbreaking natural disasters and unexpected celebrity deaths. Luckily, a centuries-old lifestyle concept exported from the Nordic countries may well be your key to survival. You might not have heard about “hygge” yet, but the phonetically challenging lifestyle trend has taken the U.K. by storm —hygge (pronounced “HUE-gah”) broadly means an approach to living that embraces positivity and enjoyment of everyday experiences, said to be core concepts of attitudes to life in the Nordic region.
Although the word itself originates from Norway, it was embraced and adopted by the Danes in the 1800s and is now widely used across the Nordic countries.
Hygge, has been around for centuries. It is a central part of Danish culture and DNA. It’s not a lifestyle move, it’s simply a way of living and how they do things.”
Used liberally and often in everyday Danish life, hygge can be applied as an adjective, a noun and a verb. It is often used in daily conversation. One definition of hygge is the “complete absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming,” with a focus on togetherness and prioritising the people.
We see it simply as the Danish ritual of enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Friends. Family. Graciousness. We look to meet others who will “make” us happy and we work very hard to achieve what we think will bring us happiness.
Although in today’s times with the restrictions that come and go about socialising,this is sometimes difficult to do.
But we seem to be on a lifelong quest to find something that is elusive and undefined. We say, “If only it were this way, I would be happy” or, “If only I had that, I would be content.” In the meantime, we overlook all the little opportunities for happiness that come to us each day.
Have you ever noticed that it is often the small comforts, the simple pleasures, that soothe us the most and make us feel that all is right in the world? Maybe it’s a favorite food that transports us to a childhood memory, or an unexpected kindness that makes our day, or seeing the first snowfall of the season. In the moment that we experience the simplest pleasures, we are not thinking about our quest for happiness or worrying that we may never find it. We are simply enjoying the moment and feeling alive.
To really maximise the hygge, layer rugs to add a warm, inviting feel to your winter haven. Use different ones to create your own unique “pattern” on the floor (and minimise draft in the process). Thick curtains in plush materials, such as velvet, create a warm and cosy feeling in the room. Keep them open during the day to soak up the sun (if there is any), and keep them shut at night to add another layer of insulation. Decorate with lots of soft cushions, and drape blankets over chairs and sofas.
So just enjoy those mugs of warm beverages. Use candles and lamps to bring ambience and intimacy to those early evenings. Then let hygge do its magic.
Simple Pleasures is about recognising the little gems of happiness that come to us each day and finding happiness in the moment. Let us share the small, but real, joys that we discover and see how our happiness grows!
JULIAS INSPIRATION 