How We Hygge
Thoughts on the Danish coziness craze from Lori Slater and Stefanie Zeldin, co-founders of In2Green – What is Hygge anyway…
Lori: If you look up hygge* in the dictionary, there’s a picture of me snuggled up on the couch with my dogs.
Stefanie: Most of us don’t have Danish dictionaries.
Lori: Good point. Well, maybe you’ve seen one of the articles in TIME or The New York Times, or one of the zillions of books on the subject. Basically, hygge is a Danish word that sums up a simple, cozy way of life. Think board games, hot tea, blankets, and in my case anyway, dogs.
Stefanie: Or in my case, “glamping” in say Morocco.
Lori: Right. Except you wouldn’t be inside your tent, you’d be outside making friends with the other glampers.
Stefanie: Yes! Love meeting new people. But that’s the great thing about hygge – it can mean different things to different people. Sharing s’mores with friends around a campfire – that’s hygge.
Lori: Or reading a good book in bed, under a million blankets.
Stefanie: Sounds like your idea of a perfect Saturday night.
Lori: You know me so well! Anyway, no matter how you hygge, one thing’s for sure: this trend is everywhere. We’re seeing it in hotel and restaurant design, and of course home fashion. Candles, bar carts, warm colors and natural materials…
Stefanie: And of course eco friendly throws…
Lori: Of course! What you have to remember is that it’s about cultivating a feeling of inner peace, and appreciating life’s simple pleasures. So whether you’re a homebody, like me…
Stefanie: Or someone with wanderlust, like me!
Lori: You can’t go wrong building a little hygge into your life.
* Lori pronounces is “hoo-gah,” and Stefanie says “hew-guh.” It’s probably something in between.
** Both love Lori’s daughter Hannah’s wonderful photos. Don’t you?
How do you hygge? Leave a comment telling us how you relax, indulge, and appreciate life’s simple pleasures.