hygge

''Hygge'' (, ; ; ) is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a mood of coziness and "comfortable conviviality" with feelings of wellness and contentment. As a cultural category with its sets of associated practices ''hygge'' has more or less the same meaning in both places and in both languages, however, the emphasis on ''hygge'' as a core part of Danish culture is a recent phenomenon, dating to the late 20th century.

Etymology

The word ''hygge'' comes from a Danish word meaning "to give courage, comfort, joy". ''Hygge'' stems from ''hyggja'' which means "to think" in Old Norse. ''Hygge'' is built from the Old Norse word ''hugr'' which later became the ''hug'' which means the soul, mind, consciousness.

But it is also speculated that ''hygge'' might originate from the word ''hug''. ''Hug'' comes from the 1560s word ''hugge'', which means "to embrace". The word ''hugge'' is of unknown origin but is highly associated with an Old Norse term, ''hygga'', which means "to comfort", which comes from the word ''hugr'', meaning "mood". In turn, the word comes from the Germanic word ''hugyan'', which is a cognate of the Old English ''hycgan'', meaning "to think, consider".

It first appeared in Danish writing in the 19th century and has since evolved into the cultural idea known in Denmark and Norway today. While hygge has exactly the same meaning in Norwegian as in Danish and is a widely used word in both Norway and Denmark (including in its derived forms, such as ''hyggelig''), the emphasis specifically on "hygge" as an important part of their cultural identity is mostly a recent Danish phenomenon; in Norway "hygge" is just a word, similar in status to "cosy" in English-speaking countries or "cozy" in the US.

Use

In both Danish and Norwegian, ''hygge'' refers to "a form of everyday togetherness," "a pleasant and highly valued everyday experience of safety, equality, personal wholeness and a spontaneous social flow".

The noun ''hygge'' includes something nice, cozy, safe and known, referring to a psychological state. The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen has studied the positive effect of "hygge" on Danish society.

''Collins'' ''English Dictionary'' defines the word as "a concept, originating in Denmark, of creating cosy and convivial atmospheres that promote wellbeing".

In popular culture

''Collins English Dictionary'' named ''hygge'' the runner-up (after "Brexit") as word of the year in the UK in 2016. This followed a period during which several books focusing on ''hygge'' had been marketed in the UK, such as ''The Little Book of Hygge'' by Meik Wiking, ''Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness'' by Marie Tourell Søderberg, and ''The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Living Well'' by Louisa Thomsen Brits.

The concept of Hygge gained popularity with an international audience in late 2017, resulting in an increase of online searches and the rise of the hashtag "#Hygge" on Instagram.

In Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, there is a Hygge & Happiness walking tour.

Act II of the Broadway musical '' Frozen'' opens with the song "Hygge", which is all about being comfortable, happy, and together.

In the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', Jemima Davies-Smythe incorporates hygge into a redesign of her half-brother Karl Kennedy's living room.

A UK housing development in the town of Keynsham, Somerset was named "Hygge Park" by developer Crest Nicholson in 2019.

Swedish-owned ferry company Stena Line offers a series of premium relaxation lounges on its Irish Sea ferry services called "Hygge Lounges". In September 2022, Hotel Hygge opened in Buellton, California.

Due to autumn and winter traditions such as pie, yuletide, sweaters, hot cocoa, soup, and apple cider, winter and autumn can be thought to be the sole seasons of hygge. However, moments of hygge happen throughout the year, including the summer. Examples of hot-weather outdoor activities considered hygge include picnics, barbecues, concerts, street fairs and cycling.

The second episode of the second series of BBC
...