My Dear Readers!
Hygge, a Danish concept, has become popular trend in recent years. Hygge, pronounced hoo-gah, is defined as a certain quality of coziness which creates a feeling of contentment. Hygge has no direct English translation but it roughly translates to “cozy”. Since winter has arrived, and most of us have pulled out our blankets, scarves and fuzzy socks to remain warm and cozy through the season, Hygge seems like an appropriate topic of discussion.
In the past few years Hygge has been associated with all kinds of things ranging from candles to chunky blankets, from fuzzy socks to steaming cups of hot cocoa. Hygge has become a brand, a lifestyle. The internet is awash with pictures of “hygge” items. However, a little further exploration shows taht Hygge is not simply an aesthetic trend. Meik Wiking, the author of the The Little Book of Hygge, says that hygge is not associated with things, but is in fact “about an atmosphere and an experience”. He defines it as “a feeling of home”. It is found in small moments, either with our loved ones or alone.
Wikings definition of Hygge reminds me of something my father once said. That is, despite all the poverty in South Asia, people in our part of the world know to find pleasure in small things such as a cup of chai in the morning, a meal eaten with the family in the evening, a plate of gol gapay eaten on the go. Interestingly it is these very things that books like Wiking’s “The Little Book of Hygge” and and Charlotte Abraham’s “Hygge: A Celebration of Simple Pleasures. Living the Danish Way” seem to preach. Charlotte Abrahams specially points out how hygge is found in the simplest of gestures such as enjoying your coffee every morning. As such, Hygge seems to go hand in hand with the ideas of simplicity and happiness that underpin our own Pakistani community.
While the popular trend associated with hygge seems to be all about purchasing the latest Scandi-chic furniture, owning a chunky blanket and purchasing lots and lots of candles, hygge itself has nothing to do with material possessions. Though one might curate their possessions to maximise the coziness in their home; the element of coziness being central to hygge.
However, the most important element of hygge is to find that feeling of contentment within yourself and to learn to appreciate the small things that make our worlds go round. And while I love the idea of bedecking my house in fluffy blankets and beautiful smelling candles, I could truly get behind the idea of appreciating life and pleasure as it comes. That is the true essence of hygge.
Yours!
The Woman Out of Time
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