Hygge is Not Just Another Aesthetic Trend. It’s an Outlook on Life

Hygge. A concept that I have never heard of before arriving at Copenhagen, yet has taken the internet by storm lately. Countless blogposts, articles and even books have been published about it, teaching people how they can implement a bit of this Danish sense of ‘cosyness’ to everyday living. If you don’t already know what hygge is, read this article and it might give you a basic idea of what this current internet craze is all about.

People seemed to have found many ways to display hygge. Good friends, loved ones — 20+ candles, dim lights! A warm cup of tea, a good book, and of course, a home cooked meal from our 40+ recipes! — What a way to monetise people’s longing for this Scandinavian way of quality living! Capital H hygge to capital P perfection. Sadly I see it as very ironic that, the essence of hygge (at least from the POV of an outsider living in Denmark) is being misunderstood, or worse, even twisted gradually into yet another aesthetic trend.

There is one thing you should know about the (true) meaning of hygge.

Danish or not, I believe everyone has a bit of hygge already in them.

A slow, calm, gentle way of enjoying the stillness of quality time spent with people you care about, people who you can be comfortable and relaxed with. It is about closeness by getting rid of unnecessary garnish in the surrounding : whether it means physical things, people, or simply emotions that are not beneficial to your wellbeing.

The essence of hygge is to feel content about having just the right things, only the most important things in life. It is an atmospheric sentiment you can never construct by getting rid of all your 100w light bulbs and switching to 5 huge Yankee candles in your living room.

The feeling of hygge is ultimately linked with the feeling of content and gratefulness.

I truly believe that achieving hygge is linked with minimalistic living (..but really. There’s a reason why it was originated from the land of modern design).Yes, surely there are other elements involved — melatonin trick played by candles and warm dim lights, rising of body temperature with hot beverages and hearty stews. You name it. Yet these are all things that people from all cultures have been doing for centuries and they’re nothing new. They make you feel cosy and ~warm in heart~, but that’s not what exactly hygge is.

So stop thinking of what you need to buy or cook or change around your house this season if you want a bit of hygge in your life.Instead, think of the people you can be comfortable with, think of what you already like to do together — changing your outlook on life will help you easily achieve hygge. If you’re still adding something in your life that you don’t already have, you’re doing hygge the wrong way.

Thank you for reading! Please show your support by giving us a round of applause (..or 3, or 4!) if you enjoyed the read. 💚