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What is Hygge? And how can we embrace it this Christmas
Christmas has got to be one of the most magical, beautiful, lovely, warm times of the year. It is peak hygge season, a time for spending with friends and family. It’s also one of the most expensive, stressful, busy and noisy times of the year. And those two aren’t incompatible, but they can be worked at to make them fit together comfortably.
Hygge (pronounced "hoo-guh") is a wonderful concept that comes to us from Denmark, it is about socialising, relaxing and cosiness, Three of our favourite things. Things like reading in front of the fireplace are hygge, going out to a cosy coffee shop with a friend is hygge. Watching a movie with the family all snuggled up in a blanket is most definitely hygge.
If you take a direct translation the best attempt is cosiness, but it's definitely more than that. It's a deep part of the culture in Denmark. Everyone knows what it is, takes part in it and benefits from it. It's an attitude and lifestyle choice that will do wonders for your mental health.
In fact, many Danes believe it's why they are the happiest people in the world because they know how to relax and enjoy themselves with good friends, good food, and a good atmosphere. They don't have the need to blow out and overindulge like we do in the UK, they simply get pleasure out of all the comforting things we do each day.
Now with Christmas being such a stressful time, what with figuring out what to buy for your great uncle you barely see not to mention the cost of everything, it's time we brought a little hygge to our own lives. The nights are long here in the UK and not to mention absolutely freezing, so it's the perfect time to stay indoors pull the curtain and chat the night away over a board game with your friends.
It's all about being good to yourself and allowing yourself to enjoy the pleasures around you. So creating a comfortable home that you love to be in is a great step. From there it's all about having a good time with your friends and family, and once you start loving the atmosphere and the situation it becomes less about overindulging in food and drink so your waistline will definitely thank you for it come January!
And remember that the best part of Christmas is being around friends and family, not the expensive gifts we get. So embrace our 12 Days of Hygge and be sure to share it with your friends and family this holiday. We know you'll be happier for it.
If you take a direct translation the best attempt is cosiness, but it's definitely more than that. It's a deep part of the culture in Denmark. Everyone knows what it is, takes part in it and benefits from it. It's an attitude and lifestyle choice that will do wonders for your mental health.
In fact, many Danes believe it's why they are the happiest people in the world because they know how to relax and enjoy themselves with good friends, good food, and a good atmosphere. They don't have the need to blow out and overindulge like we do in the UK, they simply get pleasure out of all the comforting things we do each day.
Now with Christmas being such a stressful time, what with figuring out what to buy for your great uncle you barely see not to mention the cost of everything, it's time we brought a little hygge to our own lives. The nights are long here in the UK and not to mention absolutely freezing, so it's the perfect time to stay indoors pull the curtain and chat the night away over a board game with your friends.
It's all about being good to yourself and allowing yourself to enjoy the pleasures around you. So creating a comfortable home that you love to be in is a great step. From there it's all about having a good time with your friends and family, and once you start loving the atmosphere and the situation it becomes less about overindulging in food and drink so your waistline will definitely thank you for it come January!
And remember that the best part of Christmas is being around friends and family, not the expensive gifts we get. So embrace our 12 Days of Hygge and be sure to share it with your friends and family this holiday. We know you'll be happier for it.