Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

May 13, 2017Miller0111 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga) is a lifestyle in Danish culture emphasizing the enjoyment of the simple life, in the warmth, comfort and security of the home, and embracing a sense of togetherness with others. When we think of hygge, we may picture a nook piled with cushions and blankets by a warm fire where one can curl up with a hot beverage and a good book. This is hygge. The sharing of a meal with friends can also be hygge. Candlelight or firelight is definitely hygge. I was curious about this latest craze in the self-help genre that more recently brought us "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo, which focused on self-actualization by surrounding oneself with the things we really care about and/or need and chucking the rest. Before that, it was something else, and after Hygge, there will be another cultural appropriation as a means of selling the public with the secret to happiness. Today, it's a healthy dose of hedonism with hygge. Perhaps I have some Danish in my background (my husband certainly doesn't) because we are both already practicing hygge without giving it a proper name. Valuing simplicity, quiet, comfort, taking enjoyment in good foods and spending time with close friends, or reading a good book or being in nature. Where we've failed is in the completely absence of candlelight. I'd like to see a book on hygge adequately explain how to keep a large cat away from a 12-inch taper lit candle. Until then, I'm inclined to think what I did before. It's another philosophical line of self-help books that is total bosh.