What is Hygge?

Why are we writing about it, and why might you want to know?

Hygge is the buzz of 2017! It is Danish for a feeling of warm and cozy, and is pronounced HUE-gah, HOO-guh or HOO-gah. You decide, but it is NOT pronounced HI- anything!

So what’s this buzz all about. To be clear, hygge is not new to the Danes, it has just finally caught on with the world stage. Why? Well, it’s time to embrace a lifestyle that simply makes sense.

Let’s take a closer look.

Hygge is Danish culture and is the Danish lifestyle. In its simplest, hygge is a feeling of well-being and contentment derived from the enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures. One of the most common words used to describe hygge is cozy, though we feel there are really three. We call them the three C’s because they are the equivalent of a mathematical equation. And the truth is, it’s simple math.

Cozy + Comfort = Contentment

What does cozy really mean?

Cozy is a great adjective for hygge. The Danish live through long, dark, cold winters, so being cozy is a way of life. Cozy is candlelight, crackling fires, thick chunky throws, comfort food and warm drinks. Cozy is friends and family, and feeling safe to let your guard down. Cozy is the feeling of home. Ultimately, cozy is contentment in your soul.

How is comfort different from cozy?

Comfort is the feeling of well-being when relaxing and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Comfort is a sense of contentment from life’s daily rituals and routines. We are referring to the things you do that foster your own sense of cozy and unique feeling of home.

A snapshot of comfort in our home looks like this.

Three or four years ago we decided Fridays meant nachos on the BBQ, homemade guacamole and a martini while they baked. Each week the anticipation of our nachos is fun. Within the routine of prepping the nachos and guacamole are their own little rituals. We grind cumin seed with our cast iron mortar and pestle for the guacamole, the nachos get layered with our own topping blend, which includes pre-fried dry chorizo and black beans. The nachos are baked on our Traeger BBQ for just the right smokey hit, and served with the lights slightly dimmed and the vintage roly poly tealight flickering to welcome another Friday night!

This little ritual has layers of routine attached to it, and each step of the process is another moment of hygge for us. It is our cozy comfort knowing we’re at the end of our work week.

So what’s the deal with contentment? How does that work?

Hygge is the content feeling of home. It is a lifestyle, not any one thing or look. It’s not about being trendy or en vogue. Hygge is a feeling that’s hard to describe. It is created by our little rituals that bring a feeling of contentment to our own private moments. Hygge is the comforting feeling we experience from our warm and cozy routines. It is the nuances that ripple through our life that allow us to just be ourselves.

Yes, hygge is the feeling of contentment in our soul.

How about you? What rituals and routines make up the hygge in your lifestyle? If you care to share, we would love to hear from you!

Thank you for the visit!

Photographs © Audrey Would! Vintage Home