Hygge

10 ways to make your life more hygge

Although there is no literal translation, hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) alludes to a feeling of cosy intimacy and contentment. It's all about creating feelings of happiness, friendliness and wellbeing within everyday life. It's about finding deeper meaning within ordinary life and establishing a meaningful, mindful connection with the world. Hygge is not about grand gestures, but rather, embracing little luxuries everyday in order to foster a sense of familiarity, comfort and kinship. How lovely. So, as the darker evenings draw in, it's time to hunker down, settle in and do as the Danes do. Here's how:

Spend quality time with friends and family

We all know that having a good time with people we love makes us happy. But when was the last time you sat around a big table with all of your nearest and dearest and shared stories until the wee hours? Laughing, joking and drinking home-made berry liqueurs - this is hygge.
Sit by a roaring log fire

Few things evoke feelings of cosiness and warmth more than a roaring fire during the coldest months. A proper "hyggeligt" (translate: cosy) fire should, of course, use real wood. In fact, a real hyggeligt living room should certainly have its own log pile.
Keep things simple

Why spend hours cooped up in the kitchen, agonising over recipe books to create complicated dishes. Do things the Danish way and keep the food simple, whether that be a heart-warming soup or simple roast chicken, always opt for something delicious that can be cooked with minimum fuss.
Dim the lights and use candles instead

Danes love candles, and so do we. The flickering flames create an ephemeral glow and add a brooding sense of atmosphere to even the dankest room. But be warned, never go for the scented kind. Nothing about hygge is artificial – not even the candles. Beeswax is best.
Decorate the inside with the outside

Here at Country Living, we believe a happy, healthy life is one lived within nature. But sometimes it's just too chilly to go outside. To counteract this, Danes are big fans of bringing the outdoors inside: Think exposed stone walls, wooden floors, huge tables made from great trees and, of course, big piles of logs ready to be thrown on a roaring open fire.
Bake bread

The smell of a freshly baked rustic loaf wafting through the house is about as hygge is it gets. Kneading the dough can be very cathartic and tucking into a home-made bake, straight from the oven, with family and friends, is one of life's great simple pleasures.
Drink cocoa

Preferably stirred slowly over a hot stove and made using fine, real chocolate, cream and milk, then decentered into big mugs and consumed in your cosy living room with friends. Mmmm delicious.
Get outside

Don't be fooled, it may be chilly outside but there's more to hygge than staying cooped up indoors. You see, it's all about balance and living a good, healthy life – so exposure to nature is absolutely key. Going for a wellie walk wearing a warm wooly scarf with the wind whipping up your hair – that's 100% hygge too (so long as you dive straight back to the sofa afterwards to enjoy a warming cup of cocoa).
Pick up a book

Although hygge encompasses a feeling of familiarity and togetherness, you can still achieve it alone. There are few things more hygge than cuddling up under a blanket and getting stuck into a proper, paper book – rather than the electronic kind. Is there anything more exquisite than that new book smell?
Put down the iPhone

Hygge is the antidote to modern life. It's all about embracing these experiences fully and living in the moment, which is difficult to do when staring at a teeny weeny screen. So put down the phone and enjoy the feeling!