Blogmas day 7 – Hygge Hy-what?

Posted on December 7, 2016 by mrsmurfinscountrylife

As this blog goes live we are just two weeks away from the shortest day of the year. As I drove home this evening at 6:30 PM it was raining, just on the edge of snow. The road was wet and black and hard to see, the headlights of the other cars were blinding me and I longed to be home in my PJ’s and curled up under a blanket eating a grilled cheese and sipping a cup of tea. And all of that is hygge.

It is a Danish word and concept that became a bit of a buzz word over the last few years. I am not sure who started to export it from Denmark but from everything I have read the Danes are rather amused by outsiders trying to grasp something that they take for granted. In one article I read it compared it as – hygge is to Denmark what chic is to France. So much a part of their culture that there is no single definition.

The closest and most commonly used definition is a sense of cozy-nes. But equally it is an appreciation of the simple things, like PJ’s, grilled cheese and a cup of tea.

It’s no wonder it has caught on. And as like most trends in the fast paced world it spread like fire. Alex Beauchamp of the website http://www.hyggehouse.com recently tweeted “I get about 5 media requests a day for hygge & have had about 15 book offers in the past 6 months. A craze!”

But lets face it the world can be a bit scary these days. Is it any wonder that people want to retreat to safe, more comforting ground? While undoubtedly there are many advantages to the world that includes the internet, fast food, and instant 24 hour news, the downside is that many of us feel like our heads may explode at any moment. I would never want to give up my smart phone. Living in Canada, just lee of Lake Huron, winter travel without my own weather radar in my purse seems unthinkable now. But all this connectivity is still very new, and we all need to learn our own boundaries and levels of restraint.

Hygge is not the only craze that has seen an increase over the last few years. People are turning, or returning to things like journaling, knitting or yoga to help them find balance in their daily lives.

But back to Christmas.

As I mention at the start, this is the darkest time of the year. Most cultures have some sort of celebration in late December to help pass those long dreary nights. They almost always include, family and friends, warm and hearty food, and lights and candles. Often they are about reflection of the year past, thankfulness for the growing season recently completed, and showing gratitude to friends and family with the exchange of gifts and the sharing of food. There is much talk of Peace on Earth and Good Will Among Men. Resolutions are made, and promises to keep in touch, or we should do this more often.

All of this is hygge too. And part of why I love this time of year. For me the week between Christmas and New Years is the one week a year that I really let out a sigh and completely relax. Usually I will have several new books to peruse, or new gadgets to play with. There is not much left to do for the old year, and plenty of time to figure out the new one. I light a fire, bake some bread, and only venture out to do the fun stuff.

But for everything good, there is also the bad. We should never forget that the whole reason for down time is the recharge for the up time. Sooner or later you have to go back to work, or school, fight the traffic or sit through a ridiculous meeting. It would be so easy to let ourselves forget the problems that exist in this world, to let it all slide over us as we snuggle under the eiderdown. So let us use this hygge time help us be ready for the world of 2017. Because man, it is going to be a doozy.