Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-gah’ but squeeze for an ‘ee’ when you ‘oo’) is contentment, connection and warmth; a sense of belonging to the moment and to each other. Hygge happens when we celebrate the moments of pleasure and wellbeing that are part of our every day lives. When we hygge, we frame the moment, we pay attention to all the qualities that make us feel open hearted and alive. The Danes are so good at it - celebrating the everyday; giving something ordinary a special context, spirit and warmth, taking time to make it extraordinary.
Of course, hygge is a universal impetus. The dutch have a word for it - gezellig. The germans call it gemutlicheit. In Sweden it's called gemytligt. In Denmark hygge happens everywhere. You can hygge anywhere - around a table and a single candle, sheltering from the rain in a bus shelter, stopping for a coffee at work, beside a fire on a beach, alone in bed with a hot water bottle and good book.
Of course, hygge is a universal impetus. The dutch have a word for it - gezellig. The germans call it gemutlicheit. In Sweden it's called gemytligt. In Denmark hygge happens everywhere. You can hygge anywhere - around a table and a single candle, sheltering from the rain in a bus shelter, stopping for a coffee at work, beside a fire on a beach, alone in bed with a hot water bottle and good book.
Hygge is committing to the pleasure of the present moment in its simplicity. It's there in the small everyday rituals and gestures that comfort us, that make us feel at home, rooted and generous. It’s about recognizing the value of simple things, of family and friendship, of being not having.