All posts tagged: danish

Review: The Little Book of Hygge

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I began reading Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge in the waiting area of my daughter’s dance class and it instantly brought me to the country of beautiful design homes with the perfect hygge lighting and warm drinks on dark winter days. That is what hygge is all about! Transforming an ordinary event like waiting at a dance class into something pleasant that brings us a dose of simple pleasure and appreciation of life every day. Hygge can be found in most places, even in your work place by bringing in i.e. a nice couch for meetings, creating traditions of cake or shared meals on Fridays or just some flowers or tea candles on darker days. The Little Book of Hygge is definitely one of my new favorites – a classic that shall always stay on my book shelf for my Danish-American husband, children and myself to be reminded of the best part of Danish culture, hygge. Just by looking at the cover and browsing through the beautiful simple illustrations you somehow feel hygge. As a …

Hygge on On Point Today!

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Today’s topic on WBUR’s On Point is Hygge! I cannot WAIT to hear what my favorite radio host Tom Ashbrook (except for maybe Frasier) has to say about Danish happiness and hygge:-)) Here is the link: “Forget Your Troubles, Come On, Get Hygge” On Point So go grab your favorite cup of coffee and enjoy when you get a chance!

Bringing Hygge into January

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Leaving the festive and “hyggelige” (cozy) month of December behind and entering January is for me always followed by a certain sadness. Gone are all the Christmas decorations, parties, comfort foods and “hygge” (coziness/togetherness). Instead we get New Year’s resolutions of eating healthy, working harder and all the demands of starting a new year in the cold Winter months. This year I am determined to keep the “hygge” from December going. Maybe not with Christmas gnomes and ornaments but the comforting “hygge” part. The photo above from “Bakery by Hermann” in Lyngby, Denmark, captures what my January “hygge” will be like – soft and cozy lambs wool throws and hearty baking the Danish way. I love how this bakery brought the lamb skins outside on a bench. That is exactly how I envision myself in these cold winter months ahead of us: sitting on my porch on a warm lamb skin with a steamy hot drink – be it hot spiced wine, coffee or hot chocolate. This way January can be the month of relaxation …

A Magical Christmas Night in Tivoli

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The old charming amusement park, Tivoli, in the heart of Copenhagen is beautifully decorated for Christmas. We had a magical night there surrounded by “snow”, pretty lanterns, lights, Christmas trees and ornaments everywhere. We bought Danish “aebleskiver” and “glögg” (hot spiced wine) from one of the many snow covered wooden pavilions and enjoyed it outside on cafe chairs with blankets wrapped around us. Does it get any more “hyggeligt”/cozy than this?

A Danish Christmas

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Here is a little sample of my Danish Christmas. The old streets of Copenhagen decorated with garlands, lights, hearts and stars. White hyacints and pine cones are important too. But lets not forget the mouth watering marzipan (almond paste) and nougat on coffee tables all around the country… I know bicycles aren’t exactly a Christmas thing but only in Denmark will you see a baby chair that matches the color of the mother’s bicycle! Says so much about the importance of bicycles and design to the Danes.  

How to Hygge

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  Danish hygge is becoming a world-wide term. It has even been nominated word of the year by the Oxford dictionary! Especially in England people are so eager to learn about hygge that a college has started teaching about it and a large number of books on hygge are successful on the international market right now. So what is this hygge? And is it what makes Danes the happiest people in the world? I think it is part of Danish happiness – the relatively good welfare system helps a lot too of course. We prioritize to take a break where we slow down and appreciate some simple pleasures of life. I know it is really hard to do it in the busy lives most of us live today but I think it could be the key to more happiness/contentment to stop and enjoy life a little every day if possible. My daughter was for the longest time asking me for more “mom-time”. I thought mom time just meant being alone with me. Not until recently did …

Happy 1st Sunday of Advent

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    Today Danes celebrate that it is the first Sunday of Advent before Christmas Eve. They do this by turning on one candle in an Advent wreath of four candles because it is the first Sunday of Advent out of four. This is a wonderful excuse to get cozy with your family around the lighted Advent wreath and to let the Christmas hygge begin!      

Happy Thanksgiving – the Danish Way

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  At this time of the year American magazines are full of articles with advice on how to get through Thanksgiving without conflicts and how to handle difficult family members. I think Americans could use a little of the Danish cultural concept of “hygge” (coziness/togetherness). If there is one thing Danes are really good at, it is to enjoy festive events with family and friends because we have this tradition of hygge. Last night I visited thedanishway.com website and read an article about how the world is taking on hygge. Hygge is first and foremost about having a good and relaxing time together. There is almost an unspoken rule in Denmark not to let family strifes and disagreements ruin social celebrations like Christmas and birthdays. Disputes, everyday stress and negativity are left on the front steps and saved for later. Link to “hygge” article Another great article about Danish “hygge” So when you get together with your family and/or friends this Thanksgiving focus on having a good and relaxing time and save whatever bothers you …