Essay on hygge

Danes practice the concept year round, whether by enjoying dinner in the backyard in summer or sipping tea by the fireplace during winter, which in Scandinavia is typically very long, cold, and filled with dark days. But hygge isn’t just for Danes—it’s practiced in neighboring Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden, too.

In The Little Book of Hygge, Wiking, whose think tank revolves around exploring the causes and effects of human happiness, l ays out the primary principles of hygge in Denmark, which include atmosphere, presence (the ability to be focused in the now), pleasure, gratitude, comfort, and togetherness.

Outdoor activities like bike rides, woodland walks, and stargazing are all considered hyggelig. Even indoors, you can embrace the concept of hygge by brewing a warm cup of coffee and calling your friends and family to chat, or starting to piece together a puzzle in the living room.

The concept of hygge can be traced back to the early 1800s in Denmark, explains Dane Meik Wiking, founder of Copenhagen’s Happiness Research Institute, in his New York Times best seller The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living (William Morrow, 2017).