Hygge

Hygge (/ˈh(j)uːɡə/, H(Y)OO-gə; da; no) is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality. As a cultural category with its sets of associated practices, hygge has more or less the same meaning in both places and in both languages;[1] however, the emphasis on hygge as a core part of Danish culture is a recent phenomenon, dating to the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the concept has also been familiarized abroad.

## Contents

* 1 Etymology
* 2 Use
* 3 Hygge's cultural impact on Denmark
* 4 Hygge's international influence
* 5 Therapeutic benefits
* 6 In popular culture
* 7 Similar words
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 External links

## Etymology

By convention, the word hygge is thought to originate from a Danish word meaning "to instill courage, give comfort, joy."[2] Hygge stems from hyggja, which means "to think" in Old Norse.[2] Hygge is derived from the Old Norse hugr, later hug, which means the soul, mind, consciousness.[3]

It is however speculated that hygge may derive from a homograph hug, originating in the 1560s word hugge, which means "to embrace." Hugge is of unknown origin but is highly associated with an Old Norse term, hygga, "to comfort," which comes from hugr, meaning "mood." In turn, hugr is a cognate of the Old English hycgan, and comes from the Germanic hugyan, meaning, like Old Norse hyggja, "to think, consider."[4]

It first appeared in Danish writing in the 19th century and has since evolved into the cultural idea known in Denmark and Norway today.[5] While hygge has exactly the same meaning in Norwegian as in Danish and is a widely used word in both Norway and Denmark (including in its derived forms, such as hyggelig), the emphasis specifically on "hygge" as an important part of cultural identity is mostly Danish; in Norway "hygge" is just a word, similar in status to "cozy."

## Use

In both Danish and Norwegian, hygge refers to "a form of everyday togetherness", "a pleasant and highly valued everyday experience of safety, equality, personal wholeness and a spontaneous social flow".[6]

The noun hygge includes something nice, cozy, safe and known, referring to a psychological state.[2] The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen has studied the positive effect of hygge on Danish society.[4]

Collins English Dictionary defines the word as "a concept, originating in Denmark, of creating cozy and convivial atmospheres that promote wellbeing".[7]

In "Cultural Semantics and Social Cognition: a Case Study on Danish Universe of Meaning", De Gruyter Mouton addresses how translating hygge into English is highly problematic. The difference in translation has led to different interpretations of the word.[8]

Hygge is also associated with contemporary interior design, particularly in Scandinavian-inspired homes, where it emphasizes comfort, simplicity, and the use of natural materials and soft lighting. Such interiors typically feature neutral colour palettes, uncluttered layouts, and a focus on everyday comfort and usability.[9]

## Hygge's cultural impact on Denmark

Hygge is a way of life for Danes that embodies a sense of coziness, simplicity, and being present.[4] Researchers Smoyer and Miking define hygge as a "restorative practice" and emphasize Danes' strong commitment to it.[10] Meik Wiking, the author of The Little Book of Hygge, created the Hygge Manifesto, which quantifies hygge into ten ideals: atmosphere, presence, pleasure, equality, gratitude, comfort, togetherness, harmony, truce, and shelter.[11] Wiking believes that these ten ideals are key qualities for living a happy life.[4]

Many different Danish traditions are influenced by hygge.[4] For instance, in winter months Danes often make home-cooked food, such as cakes or meatballs, from scratch.[12] Additionally, hygge inspires Danish interior design throughout the year.[12] Since pie, yuletide, sweaters, hot cocoa and soup are Yuletide traditions, autumn and winter may seem to be the sole seasons of hygge. However, moments of hygge happen throughout the year, including in summer. Examples of hot-weather outdoor activities considered hygge include picnics, barbecues, concerts, street fairs and cycling.[13] In Lindsey Robert's article "6 Ways to get that Hygge feeling, even in the Summer Swelter", she suggests giving furniture a second life, adding plants indoors, cleaning one's space, alternating textile, picking statement pieces, and designing outdoor areas.[12]

Hygge also influences jails in Denmark.[10] In "Hygge: Food and the Construction of Safety among Incarcerated Women in Denmark", researchers Smoyer and Minke interviewed such women and found that they are permitted to wear their own clothes and attempt to make their cells as simple and cozy as possible.[10] The research concluded that hygge benefited these women.[10]

As studies show that many Danes play video games (for example, 96% of Danish males aged 13–19 game every day[14]), it is not surprising that Hygge has deeply impacted the video game industry in Denmark.[15] Danish video gamers actively seek—and enforce—a sense of community with the result of achieving hygge in shared online spaces, moderating players' behaviors toward others and even their achievements in the game to maintain harmony.[15] Several studies conducted in Denmark on young Danish gamers link gaming to improved social skills and academic achievement, in large part due to the cultural inclination towards hygge.[16][17][18]

## Hygge's international influence

The concept of hygge has been adopted in countries outside of Denmark.[11] For instance, in an article called "Home with Hygge", Broyles says that Americans often dream of bigger things, and yet, per the World Happiness Report, rank only eighteenth in national happiness, while Danes consistently rank in the top three.[19] Some have begun to incorporate the Hygge Manifesto into their lives as a means to simplify.

Denmark, Danish persons, and Danish companies and organizations have been noted as deploying "hygge" as a soft power tool to achieve geopolitical aims.[20] Some examples of this usage of hygge include Danish green companies seeking to attract the best talent from elsewhere,[21] the Danish alcohol giant Carlsberg's marketing efforts highlighting the camaraderie between beer consumption and sports entertainment,[22] and the University of Copenhagen explicitly stating that hygge's inherent coziness is a key reason that international students should seek to attend the university.[23]

Hygge is, arguably, the Danish expression of a wider traditional Scandinavian and perhaps Nordic affective sociocultural assemblage rooted in the region's history and geography.[24] It is noted that hygge derives not only from the Danish language, but also from Norwegian. Many authors attribute hygge's etymology to 18th Century Norwegian, from a breadth of concepts relating to fire, safety, community/familial bonds, comfort and joy, orderliness, tranquility, and so on.[25] More specifically, hygge has its roots in Old Norse, relating to fire, whose heat and light offer protection from the dangers outside the home.[26]

By examining Scandinavian/Nordic physical geography and historical developments amidst dark, cold, wet winters, occasionally poor agriculture, and long stretches of time away from home trading and fishing in often rough, cold seas, one can understand how the region's peoples would desire and develop such social conditions. For example, Sweden has a similar culture concept, Lagom, described as "not too much, not too little", embodying similar values to Hygge's "less is more" attitude.[27] Sweden also have "Mys" or "Mysigt" similar to Norway that has a similar concept of "Koselig", which is invariably described as a feeling of cosiness (its rough English translation), warmth and comfort, quality time spent with community and family, consuming simple and comforting cuisine, and a connection with nature; among other feelings and experiences.[28][29][30][31] Iceland has a concept called "þetta reddast", which can be understood as "it will all work out okay" and developed into everyday Icelandic usage as a result of life in the barren, harsh, and cold environment of the country.[32] Finland—despite being culturally distinct from the Scandinavian countries—has a similar concept called sisu, which has been described as the Finns' national character. Sisu is considered more "raw" than hygge, being an assemblage of feelings or concepts such as bravery, grit, perseverance in the face of adversity, tenacity, and so on. However, this grittiness is matched by concepts similar to hygge such as comfort; especially sauna culture, oneness with nature, light and warmth, amongst other things.[33][34]

## Therapeutic benefits

There are numerous activities that have been found to help reduce feelings of hostility and anxiety while also promoting an improved level of connectedness between people.[35] These hyggelig activities, shared by The Happiness Institute have been known to produce feelings of love, warmth, and safety as a result of the release of oxytocin.[36][37] Participating in hygge practices may contribute to an overall positive feeling of wellbeing. Some who embrace this practice may use it as part of an intentional holistic approach to their health care.[35] Some activities include manipulating the environment with candles and lighting, appreciating nature, promoting comfort and peace by participating in baths, massage, cozy blankets, practicing mindfulness through journaling, focusing on growing spiritually through meditation or prayer.

## In popular culture

Collins English Dictionary named hygge the runner-up (after Brexit) as word of the year in the UK in 2016.[7] This followed a period during which several books focusing on hygge had been marketed in the UK,[38] such as Meik Wiking's The Little Book of Hygge,[39] Marie Tourell Søderberg's Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness,[40] and Louisa Thomsen Brits's The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well.[41]

The concept of hygge gained popularity with an international audience in late 2017, resulting in an increase of online searches and the rise of the hashtag "#Hygge" on Instagram.[42]

In Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, there is a Hygge & Happiness walking tour.[43]

Act II of the Broadway musical Frozen opens with the song "Hygge", which is all about being comfortable, happy, and together.

In the Australian soap opera Neighbours, Jemima Davies-Smythe incorporates hygge into a redesign of her half-brother Karl Kennedy's living room.[44]

In the 2019 book by Sally Goldenbaum, A Murderous Tangle (Seaside Knitter's Society Book 3), pg 26, the character Nell sees a poster and says the phrase out loud: "SEASIDE KNITTING STUDIO'S FIRST HOLIDAY HYGGE." The meaning and the format of their hygge is discussed in the poster and amongst the friends who meet regularly on Thursday nights for food, conversation, warmth, and knitting at the studio. Chapter 9 has descriptions of the first hygge event which went well despite the "cold and damp day... and news of a murder", p87.

A UK housing development in the town of Keynsham, Somerset, was named "Hygge Park" by developer Crest Nicholson in 2019.[45]

Swedish-owned ferry company Stena Line offers a series of premium relaxation lounges on its Irish Sea ferry services called "Hygge Lounges".[46] In November 2020, The Hygge Suite brand of vacation rentals opened in Giants Ridge, Minnesota; and later two more in Lutsen, Minnesota, aimed at getting people away from the cities to relax and unwind with their loved ones.[47] In September 2022, Hotel Hygge opened in Buellton, California.[48]

The second episode of the second series of BBC sitcom Motherland, "Soft Opening", saw Amanda open a concept store called "Hygge Tygge" which, unbeknown to her, means "cozy chewing" in Danish.[49]

The Ghost and Molly McGee episode "Ready, Set, Snow" sees Molly trying to get the most out of a snow day while her family and Libby stay inside to experience hygge.[50]

Swedish Homeware giant IKEA has used hygge as a concept in marketing its products.[51]

## Similar words

* In Dutch, gezelligheid similarly pertains comfort and coziness, but this term is social oriented rather than place (being in good company anywhere)
* In German, Gemütlichkeit means the state of warmth, friendliness and belonging.
* The Japanese adjective/verb まったり (mattari) suggests a feeling of calm relaxation.[52]
* The Norwegian adjective koselig is used to describe a feeling of warmth, intimacy and getting together in an agreeable environment.
* The Swedish adjective mysig (and its associated noun mys) describes a pleasant and warm atmosphere of togetherness in a pleasant setting.
* In Yiddish, the adjective היימיש (heimish) conveys the sense of "familiar, homey, informal, cozy, warm".
* In Swedish, lagom means "not too much, not too little"; it embodies similar values to Hygge's "less is more" attitude
* In Costa Rica, the Spanish phrase pura vida (literally "pure life") carries a similar connotation of a carefree, laid back and optimistic national spirit.

## See also

* Happiness
* Safety
* Simple living
* Slow movement

## References

1. ↑ Gullestad, Marianne (1992). "Home Decoration as Popular Culture" (in en). The art of social relations: essays on culture, social action and everyday life in modern Norway. Oslo: Scandinavian University Press. p. 235 (note 12 for chapter III). ISBN 82-00-21652-7. https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2015102906007;page=248.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Falk, Hjalmar; Torp, Alf (1903). "Hygge" (in no). Etymologisk Ordbog over det norske og det danske Sprog. Kristiania: Aschehoug. p. 315. https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2014090924004;page=324.
3. ↑ Falk, Hjalmar; Torp, Alf (1903). "Hu" (in no). Etymologisk Ordbog over det norske og det danske Sprog. Kristiania: Aschehoug. p. 303. https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_digibok_2014090924004;page=312.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Wiking, Meik (September 2016). The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-0-241-28391-2. OCLC 958463988.
5. ↑ Parkinson, Justin (2015-10-02). "Hygge: A heart-warming lesson from Denmark" (in en-GB). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34345791.
6. ↑ Linnet, Jeppe Trolle (2010). "Interweavings – A cultural phenomenology of everyday consumption and social atmosphere within Danish middle-class families". https://heinz.sdu.dk:8443/ws/files/38094393/Linnet Phd dissertation.pdf.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Top 10 Collins Word of the Year 2016". Collins English Dictionary. 2016-11-03. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/word-lovers-blog/new/top-10-collins-words-of-the-year-2016,323,HCB.html.
8. ↑ Levisen, Carsten (2012-11-14). Cultural Semantics and Social Cognition: A Case Study on the Danish Universe of Meaning. DE GRUYTER. doi:10.1515/9783110294651. ISBN 978-3-11-029460-6
9. ↑ "What Is Hygge?" (in en). https://hyggedesignhouse.ca/pages/what-is-hygge.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Smoyer, Amy B.; Minke, Linda Kjær (2019). "Hygge: Food and the construction of safety among incarcerated women in Denmark". Appetite (Elsevier BV) 141. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2019.104319. ISSN 0195-6663. PMID 31199940.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Broyles, Addie. "HOME with HYGGE: Why Americans are Obsessed with Hygge and what we can Learn from Lagom." Austin American Statesman, 2018, ProQuest Central.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Roberts, Lindsey M. (July 14, 2020). "6 ways to get that hygge feeling, even in the summer swelter." The Washington Post. ProQuest Central. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
13. ↑ "What is 'Hygge'?" (in en). https://www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/highlights/hygge/what-hygge.
14. ↑ Hamilton, Ben (16 January 2018). "A nation of gamers: half of all Danish teenage boys indulge ever day". The Copenhagen Post. https://cphpost.dk/2018-01-16/news/a-nation-of-gamers-half-of-all-danish-teenage-boys-indulge-ever-day/.
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ahmad Beltagui, Thomas Schmidt (May 2015). "Why Can't We All Get Along? A Study of Hygge and Janteloven in a Danish Social-Casual Games Community". Games and Culture 12 (5): 403–425. doi:10.1177/1555412015590062. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1555412015590062?journalCode=gaca.
16. ↑ Markussen, Thomas; Knutz, Eva (2017). "Playful participation in social games". Conjunctions 4 (1). doi:10.7146/tjcp.v4i1.97728. https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/129207298/Playful_participation_in_social_games_2017.pdf. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
17. ↑ Hanghøj (2018). "Can cooperative video games encourage social and motivational inclusion of at-risk students?". British Journal of Educational Technology 49 (4): 775–799. doi:10.1111/bjet.12642. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjet.12642.
18. ↑ Thomasen, Tobias (15 March 2016). "Scandinavian studies: young gamers are better students, more social". Nordic Startup News. https://nordicstartupnews.com/scandinavian-studies-young-gamers-better-students-social/.
19. ↑ McDonough, Megan (May 29, 2018). "Americans are obsessed with hygge". Washington Post.
20. ↑ Howell and Sundberg (Fall 2015). "Towards an Affective Geopolitics: Soft Power and the Danish Notion of "Hygge"". Environment, Space, Place 7 (2): 97–120. doi:10.5840/esplace20157213. https://www.pdcnet.org/esplace/content/esplace_2015_0007_0002_0097_0120?file_type=pdf. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
21. ↑ Lønborg, Claus. "Copenhagen's green ambitions continue to attract investment". https://www.worldfinance.com/strategy/copenhagens-green-ambitions-continue-to-attract-investment.
22. ↑ "Carlsberg's marketing: Gamification as a vital part". https://playable.com/cases/carlsberg/.
23. ↑ "Living in Copenhagen". University of Copenhagen. 21 October 2020. https://studies.ku.dk/living-in-copenhagen/.
24. ↑ Howell and Sundberg (Fall 2015). "Towards an Affective Geopolitics: Soft Power and the Danish Notion of "Hygge"". Environment, Space, Place 7 (2): 97–120. doi:10.5840/esplace20157213. https://www.pdcnet.org/esplace/content/esplace_2015_0007_0002_0097_0120?file_type=pdf. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
25. ↑ Linnet, Jeppe Trolle (Summer 2011). "Money Can't Buy Me Hygge: Danish Middle-Class Consumption, Egalitarianism, and the Sanctity of Inner Space". Social Analysis; Oxford 55 (2): 21–44. doi:10.3167/sa.2011.550202. https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/social-analysis/55/2/sa550202.xml. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
26. ↑ Beltagui and Schmidt (2015). "Why Can't We All Get Along? A Study of Hygge and Janteloven in a Danish Social-Casual Games Community". Games and Culture 12 (5): 403–425. doi:10.1177/1555412015590062.
27. ↑ "What's all the Hygge? Global Habits Gain U.S. Fans." The Washington Post, 2018, ProQuest Central.
28. ↑ "KOSELIG – THE NORWEGIAN CONCEPT THAT WILL HELP YOU THOUGH WINTER". 27 October 2020. https://www.thatscandinavianfeeling.com/lifestyle/norwegian-concept-koselig.
29. ↑ "Koselig: how the Norwegians reinvented hygge". 5 September 2019. https://allthingsnordic.eu/koselig-how-the-norwegians-reinvented-hygge/.
30. ↑ Allan, David (30 April 2019). "Why are Norwegians so happy? In a word: 'koselig'". https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/30/health/norway-koselig-hygge-cozy-nature-chasing-life-wisdom-project/index.html.
31. ↑ "Kos is Norwegian for having a good time!". https://www.visitnorway.com/typically-norwegian/kos-means-having-a-good-time/.
32. ↑ McMahon, Sara. "What does "þetta reddast" mean?". https://icelandmag.is/article/what-does-thetta-reddast-mean.
33. ↑ O'Sullivan, Feargus (27 April 2018). "Gird Yourself for the Latest Infuriating Nordic Life Hack". Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-27/finland-s-sisu-is-your-new-nordic-life-improvement-buzzword.
34. ↑ Koskinen, Heli (9 October 2023). "The Finnish happiness and hygge go hand in hand". https://thearcticpure.com/en-us/blogs/mieli-ja-hyvinvointi/the-finnish-happiness-and-hygge-go-hand-in-hand.
35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Pitts, Leslie (2024). "Transcending limitations: A phenomenological exploration of how hygge practices enrich the lived experiences of adults with cystic fibrosis". Creative Nursing 30 (1): 74–86. doi:10.1177/10784535241228522. PMID 38291619.
36. ↑ Wiking, M (2017). The little book of hygge: Danish secrets to happy living. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-06-265880-7.
37. ↑ "Cambridge Dictionary of Norwegian-English". https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/norwegian-english/hyggelig.
38. ↑ Cartier-Morley, Jess (2016-10-18). "Hygge – a soothing balm for the traumas of 2016". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/18/hygge-a-soothing-balm-for-the-traumas-of-2016.
39. ↑ Crace, John (2016-09-11). "The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking – digested read" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/11/the-little-book-of-hygge-by-meik-wiking-digested-read.
40. ↑ "Hygge". http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31129745-hygge.
41. ↑ Williams, Zoe (2016-09-29). "The Book of Hygge review – can the Danes really teach us how to live?" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/29/book-of-hygge-louisa-thomsen-brits-review.
42. ↑ Stieg, Cory (23 November 2019). "Why people are so obsessed with 'hygge,' the cozy Danish lifestyle movement" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/23/what-is-hygge-and-why-are-people-so-obsessed-with-it.html.
43. ↑ By Mie, Copenhagen. "Hygge & Happiness tour" (in en). https://copenhagenbymie.com/tours/hygge-happiness/.
44. ↑ Astle, David (8 March 2019). "David Astle's Wordplay: when Euro-curios become a gaffer-tape solution". Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/david-astles-wordplay-when-eurocurios-become-a-gaffertape-solution-20190301-h1bvjo.html.
45. ↑ "Hygge Park at Keynsham". https://www.crestnicholson.com/developments/hygge-park-at-keynsham/.
46. ↑ "Hygge Recline Lounge | Stena Line" (in en-GB). http://www.stenaline.co.uk/hyggelounge.
47. ↑ "About Us" (in en). 2020-08-04. https://thehyggesuite.com/about-us/.
48. ↑ Hertzfeld, Esther (2022-09-06). "Hotel Hygge opens in California's wine country" (in en). https://www.hotelmanagement.net/openings/hotel-hygge-opens-california-wine-country.
49. ↑ "Soft Opening". https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11046622/.
50. ↑ "Ready, Set, Snow". https://m.imdb.com/title/tt16973418/.
51. ↑ "Hygge IKEA". https://www.ikea.com/us/en/ideas/styles/scandinavian-folklore-pub00f129c0/.
52. ↑ Watanabe, Masaki (December 15, 2009). "That "Mattari" Feeling…: Why Today's Japanese Don't Want to Go Overseas". http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/crosscurrents-that-“mattari”-feeling….

## External links

* The Guardian: The hygge conspiracy

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Social:Hygge&oldid=4303870"