Denmark receives top results in the World Happiness Reports. Meik Wiking, the author of our Book of the Month "The Little Book of Hygge" demonstrates the role the concept of Hygge plays in this. Here, we present 5 ideas on how to add Hygge into your everyday life.
Hygge is a Danish concept that many have attempted to translate. Some describe it simply as coziness, but it holds a deeper significance. Hygge encompasses contentment and a sense of well-being derived from simple pleasures in everyday life and warmth. It involves living in the present moment, practicing mindfulness, and cultivating gratitude for what we have.
Here are 5 ideas to add Hygge to your life:
1. Bring out the Board Games
In the age of Netflix, YouTube, and an endless supply of digital entertainment, we often find ourselves spending more time with our technological devices than with each other. So, why not take a break from screens, turn off your phones, and invite some friends over for a board game night?
Whether it's classics like Risk or Monopoly, or more complex games like Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons, the experience of playing board games together embodies the essence of hygge.
Why are board games considered hygge?
For starters, they allow you to spend quality time with friends, creating lasting memories and strengthening bonds. Quality time is also a cornerstone concept in the 5 Love Languages, emphasizing the importance of meaningful interactions. So why not invite your friends and enjoy some cozy board game fun together?
2. Pantry Party
Another way to spend hyggeligt time with your family and friends is by organizing a pantry party. Invite them over to your house for an afternoon or an evening and make everyone bring ingredients to make something that belongs in the pantry. That can be homemade strawberry jam, limoncello, pumpkin soup - you name it. That way you can spend a fun evening figuring out exactly what you want to bake and enjoy the warm pastryafterward. Yum.
"Hygge is like a good hug - but without the physical touch."
3. TV Night
Something I personally do with friends once a year, is invite them over to watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - of course, the extended cut. They bring drinks, cakes and chips and we cook together in between the movies.
This gives us not only an impetus to meet and chat once each year but we also create lasting memories together. Is there anything more hygge?
4. Set up a Mini-Library in your Shared Stairway
A cost-effective and eco-friendly method to enrich the communal spaces within your building or neighborhood in a hygge way is by setting up a mini library. Use old shelves and install them in a designated area (ask for permission first of course!). Stock the shelves with your favorite books and encourage neighbors to participate in the project by implementing a "take one, leave one" approach.
Arriving home to a welcoming array of books in your stairway creates a warmer and hygge atmosphere. As for the selection, it would depend on personal preferences and interests. For me, I would include classics like "The Hobbit", "Harry Potter" and "The Midnight Library" are essential choices as they all evoke that cozy hygge feeling.
5. Make a Barbeque
Hosting a barbecue with friends can be a wonderful way to embrace the essence of hygge. By gathering together outdoors, surrounded by the comforting aromas of grilling food and the warmth of a crackling fire, you create an atmosphere of coziness and togetherness.
The relaxed and informal nature of a barbecue encourages deep conversation (everybody knows the deep conversations that come up at a BBQ after 2-3 beers in the late night) and laughter, allowing everyone to unwind and enjoy the simple pleasures of good company. And besides, who can say no to super yummy grilled food?
Incorporating hygge into your everyday life can boost your well-being and happiness. From board game nights to barbecues with friends, deepening connections and creating warm atmospheres is key. Discover more ways to embrace hygge with our book of the month: The Little Book of Hygge.