Hygge is personal and can be interpreted differently by individuals. What brings a sense of hygge to one person might be different for another. It’s about discovering what makes you feel content and peaceful. Try the Japanese art of “forest bathing” and surround yourself with trees and nature. Breathe in that oxygen and listen to the sounds. Ultimately, all you need is to spend more time doing the things you love, in places where you feel the most comfortable. An extra bonus? This book gives you the perfect excuse to spend more time and money indulging yourself. Treats, cakes, and “bonuses” are extremely hygge. 2. The hygge game Write a handwritten letter or card to a faraway friend. Even better if it will be totally unexpected.

Indulge in the Nordic tradition of Fridagsmys or cosy Fridays: staying in and enjoying simple pleasures such as games, movies, and sweets.

Summer Hygge

The concept of hygge aligns with well-being and self-care. It’s about creating a space and a lifestyle that supports relaxation, comfort, and mental well-being. Have a special mug for your favourite hot drinks, especially when you need cheered up. I’m a big fan of these Positivi-tea mugs.

Get your weekend chores done early on in the weekend so you can spend the rest of time feeling truly free to do whatever you like. Hygge is about being active and not passive, and the summer months is an ideal time to get outside and connect with nature. Bungee jumping and other extreme sports are for adrenaline junkies so not ideal to achieve the state of relaxation that hygge evokes. The simple things in life give people the most pleasure. The Danes love their bicycles and use them to cycle everywhere. Other outside activities considered hyggelig include dog walking, outdoor barbeques, picnics, fishing and making footprints in the sand. You could even go the whole hog and envelope nature by hugging a tree! Hygge during the summer months is also about bottling up all the warm smells and everlasting memories to take with you through the dark days and nights of winter.

Spring Hygge

Hygge is all about comfort, peace, and happiness. That means that the definition can differ depending on who you ask.

Make yourself a “hyggekrog”– a cosy, comfortable place to sit & get your hygge on! It can be anything from a corner of a room to a favourite chair where you have everything you need beside you. To create a cosy nook in your home, put some cushions and throw blankets in your hyggekrog. Cushions are for making you comfy so that you can lean against it while drinking a hot cup of tea after a tiring day. Or put them on your lap for resting your hands while reading a book.Throw blanket keeps you warm and you can snuggle under it to feel cosy. Good companyMake a playlist of songs from your favourite decade and blast it out loud. (If you have an Echo device, Alexa will happily oblige by playing you songs from a specific year.) Select a random set of photo memories on your phone and spend a happy few minutes reminiscing about a trip or event. While hygge is mostly practiced indoors due to the miserable weather, you can practice hygge outdoors and in other seasons too. “It is all about the atmosphere and the experience”, says Wiking. Bring a taste of Denmark into your home with a huge cozy blanket than you and your loved ones can snuggle in. This huge Sherpa fleece blanket is the ultimate investment in a comfortable evening with friends — making it a fantastic example of hygge.

Although the term can be both an adjective and a noun in Denmark, it’s more of a way of life — and the lifestyle trend continues to gain popularity today. In 2016, it was even one of the Collins Words of the Year, falling just after Brexit. Turn a dark spot into a cozy corner with a battery-operated candle or lantern. Many of them have timers so they automatically turn on at the same time every day. hygge mean?” But hygge isn’t just a word; it’s a concept, and as such, there’s really no direct translation.

Hygge definition: What does hygge mean?

Listen to some audiobooks – even better if they’re dramatised like old-fashioned radio plays. Snuggling up on a rainy afternoon with hot chocolate & an audiobook is maximum hygge! I am drawn towards hygge because it is something that makes us inherently happy without the need to always chase something. And we chase things for what? To be happy! Danish people give great importance to spending time with family and it is said that they have low expectations in life which makes them happy. Isn’t it true? It is when we have high expectations and when we don’t achieve them, we are angry and unhappy. Hygge is all about celebrating life’s little moments. It must be the ability to find contentment in the little and everyday mundane things, that make them the happy people they are. If you’re a fan of all things Scandinavian (like we are), then you’re probably no stranger to the term “hygge”. Hygge (pronounced as hue-gah) is a Danish word which can’t be translated directly to English in one word, but the word that comes close is cosy. Explaining hygge is difficult but let me try.