The Country School is an independent, coeducational, Pre-K through 8 school founded in 1934.
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Put Some Hygge in Your Family Life
Family time can benefit from the Danish art of hygge.
In an age often rife with culture-envy, a quick perusal of Amazon’s book offerings will reveal such titles as French Women Don’t Get Fat, French Kids Eat Everything, and The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country. The subtext? Certain cultures do certain things better than most. The French seem to have a lock on eating well and remaining trim, and Danes have the market cornered on arguably the most coveted, just-out-of-reach goal for most of humankind: happiness. The author of Living Danishly cites several reasons why Denmark consistently ranks as the happiest country on Earth, not the least of which is hygge, a word with no English translation but which essentially means to gather with friends and family in a warm, cozy environment to enjoy the small things in life. (Envious yet?)
In a forthcoming “From the Headmaster,” Mr. Mufson recounts his brief but eye-opening visit to Denmark, highlighting the “feeling” he got from the country that was impactful but difficult to verbalize, as well as his fascination with the hygge concept. He introduced the faculty and staff to it in a meeting earlier this week, complete with a charming video documenting hygge at work. He encouraged all of us to investigate it a bit further and incorporate it into our daily lives.
Denmark is regularly voted one of the happiest countries in the world, so could the enjoying of hygge moments and the feeling of gratitude it fosters contribute to the apparent contentment of its population? Studies show a link between gratitude and overall wellbeing, and when it comes to hygge, it is much more about experiences than “stuff.” Danes have been proven to be less materialistic than other cultures in that they value and appreciate low-cost activities and the simple things in life—an ideal mentality for making hygge moments happen.
When the long, dark winter is in its throes, the Danes employ their secret weapon: hygge, and the millions of candles that go with it. That’s right: candles at the dinner table, candles in board meetings, candles just because. According to the European Candle Association (yes, that’s a thing), Danes burn more candles per person than any other country in Europe.
So what else qualifies as hygge? Well, really anything cozy that allows the din of life to fall away. Think pastries, good coffee, wool socks, a snoring canine beside a crackling fire…anything that conjures that curl-up-in-a-ball feeling. In a Telegraph article titled “Get Cosy: Why We Should All Embrace the Danish Art of Hygge,” Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, explains that hygge is “a key performance indicator of any Danish social gathering.” In other words, setting the “mood” sets the stage for enjoyment—and contentment—for all.
It isn’t as though hygge doesn’t exist outside of Denmark, but it perhaps ranks as a much lower priority. By making it a cornerstone of their lives and culture, Danes have found a way to make the bleak winters pass with grace, warmth, and companionship. So at dinner with your family tonight, light some candles, enjoy a glass of wine sans guilt, and afterward, warm your bathrobe in the dryer while you enjoy a soak in the tub. Be grateful for family time, and just enjoy life. After all, the most important contributing factor to our psychological wellbeing is the strength of our relationships. Putting a little hygge in your life may lead to happier families and a happier society.
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