Let's Hygge !

It’s the time of the year again when the weather is nice (except for the smog in Delhi and the humidity in Chennai or the traffic in Bengaluru J ) , lots of holidays, friends and loved ones dropping in at home for the festive season, good business- so less pressure on budgets etc . On this lazy weekend,  I got reminded of a new term I learnt,  “Hygge” from some of my Danish friends. 

The Oxford Dictionaries’ 2016 “word of the year” shortlist was heavy on neologisms that one wishes didn’t have to exist: “alt-right,” “Brexiteer,” and the year’s winning term, “post-truth.” Among the finalists, though, there was one bit of solace: “hygge,” a Danish term defined as “a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.” Pronounced “hoo-guh,” the word is said to have no direct translation in English, though “cosy” comes close. It derives from a sixteenth-century Norwegian term, ‘hugga’, meaning “to comfort” or “to console,” which is related to the English word “hug.” Associated with relaxation, indulgence, and gratitude, hygge has long been considered a part of the Danish national character. 

In the past year, this concept of Scandinavian cosiness has made inroads with an international audience. Winter is the most hygge time of year all over the world- maybe it is Diwali or Christmas or the New Year we all look forward to.  It is candles, warm soft clothes,  blankets , shearling slippers, woven textiles, pastries, Biryanis , Jelabis , rugs, lattes with milk-foam hearts, flower -infused teas and friends. Hygge can be used as a noun, adjective, verb, or compound noun, like hyggebukser, otherwise known as that shrubby pair of pants you would never wear in public but secretly treasure. Hygge can be found in a bakery and in the warm pools in winter, surrounded by your naked friends ! It’s wholesome and nourishing, like Kichadi ; Danish doctors recommend “tea and hygge” as a cure for the common cold. It’s possible to hygge alone, wrapped in a flannel blanket with a cup of tea, but the true expression of hygge is joining with loved ones in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere.

Lets Hygge this magical season!! 

Let us share ideas for a Hyggelig (Hygge-like) life in the comments below .