Hygge is a recent trend. Articles and books are written about the Danish art of being happy, as well as videos and podcasts. But not everyone can truly understand and even more so try this recipe. After spending several years in Scandinavia, our reader talks about what hygge actually consists of and what Russian concept this term is closest to.
A couple of years ago, interest in the Scandinavian lifestyle in general and the concept of “hygge” in particular increased dramatically in Russia. Today it is the same world-famous Danish brand as, say, Lego constructors. Literally translated, hygge means the ability to find happiness in small things. This word is used in conjunction with others — for example, «hygge-house», «hygge-evening», «do hygge» — understanding by this something cozy, pleasant, something that fills us with warmth.
This concept has fascinated me for a long time. My family lived for a long time, migrating across Scandinavia — Denmark, Sweden and Finland have become a second home for each of us. Seeing the interest in the topic of Danish happiness and having the opportunity to personally interview the adherents of this philosophy, I tried to form my own idea of what hygge consists of, and, it seems to me, I found the answer to the question why the secret of Danish happiness remained a secret for a Russian person .
So what is hygge? I must say right away that it is wrong to focus only on the surroundings and accessories that are designed to add coziness, tranquility and warmth to life. They are sure to be listed in any article on this topic, but not a single Dane will tell you that hygge for him is an IKEA locker, a warm blanket or a scented candle. You should not associate the achievement of a sublime feeling with trifles — because of their mere presence, it is unlikely to arise.
To understand the essence of this phenomenon, it is important to understand that, firstly, this is not about some global secret of happiness, and secondly, achieving hygge will not directly depend on the time of year or place. And, of course, you can understand a foreign culture only if you look at it through the prism of your own.
Considering all this, for a long time I tried to find a synonym in Russian that is closest in meaning to the Danish “hygge”. And I think I found a wonderful word that conveys the whole depth of the definition of a happy life in the Danish sense. The word is «grace». It is about her that a simple resident of Denmark thinks, pronouncing the words “hygge”.
Many believe that the phenomenon of hygge became possible only due to the high quality of life in the Danish kingdom. This is not true
Both of these words describe sensations that do not depend on the well-being of a single person or the state as a whole. Many believe that the phenomenon of hygge became possible only due to the high quality of life in the Danish kingdom. This is not true. The essence of this phenomenon is the ability to give good to yourself and others. This is where hygge begins and ends, never understood by the majority.
And what is good? This concept is different for every nation. It can be:
- trust in others,
- in the possibility of self-expression (drinking songs, dancing to folk instruments, when «the soul sings», and the legs «they go to dance»),
- in the absence of the need to demonstrate one’s wealth (when a car is only a means of transportation, and beautiful clothes are a way of self-expression),
- in the opportunity to work and see the results of your work, and to rest so that the soul sings.
We talk about hygge as some kind of special recipe for a happy life, but perhaps the secret of happiness is not in imitating others, but in finding what brings joy to us. In our own grace.
For some, it is in the smell of thawed earth. For others — in the taste of the first berries. In the first trip to nature — to the country house, to the forest, to fishing. In the bright colors of the spring sky. In order to return home after a working day or meet friends. In stroking a cat, sitting by the window with an old cup. In those moments, more important than which, perhaps, there is nothing.