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What is hygge?




Hygge ['hoo-ga']: a deep sense of place & well-being; a feeling of friendship, warmth, contentment and peace with your immediate surroundings

Hygge is an important element of the Danish mentality. The term is difficult to translate, but it is often, inadequately, translated as cosiness. Yet, it is much more than that because it encompasses many different words. Hygge can mean cosy, comfy, snug and having a good time according to the context the word is used in, but most of all hygge means all of that in one term which makes it such a unique Danish word.

The term hygge is widely used and connected with different situations. For instance you can have a hygge-evening and a hygge-weekend. You can have a hygge-chat and you can even sit in a hygge-corner. 

     

Hyggelig is the adjective for hygge and is used about many things. A person can be described as hyggelig, a café and a town – especially if it is a small town – can be hyggelig. Furniture for instance a sofa can be hyggelig and candlelights are definitely hyggelige.



[Only when you really unwind can you truly focus]
Meetings are conventionally often described as being formal, one way communication and maybe even boring. But it does not have to be that way. Meetings can be informal relaxed and just as productive. The setting is a large part of it. Creating a setting different from the classroom-style meeting room with the popular Power Point presentation could be a start.

The Danes are in general not very formal and we all like everything to be nice, cosy and relaxed. In fact the term “hygge” describes the Danes well. As Vivienne McKee from the London Toast Theater in Copenhagen put it: "'Hygge' is a Danish phenomenon! It is as important to the Danes as 'chic' is to the French, as 'angst' is to the Swedes
and as 'cool' (as in 'Cool Britannia') is to the English".

Hygge can be many different things. It may include a long dinner at home with a group of friends who know each another well. It could be having a meeting in a relaxed and informal environment - such as a beach Café. It could also be a nice dinner with good colleagues.

It is difficult to describe hygge fully with words the best way to understand the word is to experience it yourself! You can experience Danish hygge with us here in the UK. Join us for a relaxing "weekend-hygge" get-a-way to The Forbury in Reading or The Crazy Bear in Oxford.

Shopping can be hyggeligt

Going out is hygge

Hygge

Hygge ['hoo-ga']: a deep sense of place & well-being; a feeling of friendship, warmth, contentment and peace with your immediate surroundings.