Is Your Home a Happy Place?

Have you heard of hygge (pronounced "hoogah")? It's the Scandinavian concept of coziness. According to The New York Times it just might be the next big thing in lifestyle design since Marie Kondo's "Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up."

Lately, I have been reading about all things hygge and learning a bit more about my own Scandi heritage. The word "hygge" comes to us via Denmark and is of Norwegian origin. Coziness is something I want to bring into my own home and daily life.

Until recently, I had never heard the word "hygge" and I grew up in a rural community that was settled by Danes. The kids I went to school with had last names like Hansen, Christensen, Petersen, Rasmussen and the like.

My paternal great grandparents had settled in the area from Sweden, hence the "son" in my last name versus the Danish "sen". The closest we got to Scandinavian culture was eating ebleskivers (traditionally eaten during Advent) at the local "Danish Festival" in summer.

This idea of hygge intrigues me almost as much as Marie Kondo's "spark joy". I have never been to Sweden or Denmark (not counting a layover in Copenhagen's airport) and yet, many parts of Meik Wiking's "Little Book of Hygge" really resonated with me. Maybe it's a way to understand my lost heritage or maybe we are all more alike than we are different.

Why are we so interested in these lifestyle trends? Perhaps we are overwhelmed by our plenty and seek simplicity in any way we can get it. In my next post, I share some ideas to make our homes happy places.