What is Danish Hygge?
In desperate need of a screwdriver to put batteries in to my bubble machine (very important scavenger prop?!) I headed into a cobblers to borrow a screwdriver, meeting a fellow Northern Brit behind the counter I started asking for advice on some of the challenges I was yet to complete. The biggest one…
So WHAT is this Danish Hygge?
‘You need to ask a Dane for that one, head across to the British shop (ironic) and talk to my Danish friend, she will be able to help you out’.
So off I trotted to chat to Abigail for some advice on Danish Hygge. After about 5 minutes of repeating the word we finally realised I was pronouncing it ALL wrong. It is pronounced ‘Hoo – G’ NOT ‘Hi – Gee’ as I was pronouncing it… oops.
Here was what she said (paraphrased)
‘Hygge is so hard to explain, it is that warm feeling, that sense of real cosiness, sat next to a fire at Christmas with your family, drinking a mug of hot chocolate’.
Hygge sounds fun to me, but how am I supposed to show sitting by a fire at Christmas when it is over 20 degrees outside and I’m wearing flipflops? But I have tried and after chatting to a few people, here are some photos I think sum up that Danish feeling of Hygge.
‘Relaxing on a Saturday with your wife, not a care in the world’
I saw this man from afar and was instantly drawn to his happy smiling face. A massive wash of hygge spreading across his face. #HappyDanes
Saturday afternoon in the park, sunshine, friends, laughs. These girls said ‘this’ was definitely Hygge.
A cosy snuggle with his daughter in the park. Bless.
So Danes… do these pictures some up hygge? or am I way off?
One thing is certain I love the idea of this word we don’t have in English and will be bringing it back to the UK (if I can get the pronunciation right)… I almost can’t wait for Christmas again?!
Here is how I think I experienced hygge this weekend…
Live music, smiling faces, brilliant blogger friends, pure happiness.
Happy hygge all 🙂 x
I was experiencing Hygge thanks to Go Visit Denmark for organising an incredible weekend away with three other top bloggers.
As a Dane I will say that you are spot on with these hygge-pictures 🙂
Brilliant. Thanks Susanne. I love the idea of hygge. We need a word like this in English or perhaps we can just steal your word 🙂
Aw, I like the sound of Danish Hygge. I thought it was going to be some kind of Danish haggis but this is much nicer! Let’s start using this word in the UK.
Yes we definitely need to bring this word to the UK. Haha at thinking it was Haggis, I hadn’t even thought of that but totally see it 🙂
See you for that Hygge feeling soon 🙂
For me (as a dane) “hygge” involves lot of candles, light the fire, good food, wine, good company and maybe some soft saxophone jazz on the CD player. This of course in the wintertime…
Sounds perfect. I plan on doing that when I return home and it is really cold. Right now though Hygge is lying on a beach with a cocktail in the sun 😉
I love the sound of Danish Hygge. I like the idea of hygge, thanks for sharing keep up the good.