All posts tagged: hyggelig

Hygge – by a Dane in America

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As a Dane living in America I could not be any happier about the recent invasion of hygge to the United States and a lot of other countries! I love American culture and Americans. Especially their openness to new cultures and immigrants and their willingness to embrace what is new and different. But there is one thing I have been missing during the seven years of living here and that is a slower pace, more family time and the ability to just enjoy the moment – in other words: hygge! Many Americans are very busy, their kids are very busy/active and I believe a little more down time would do us all well. This has become of extra interest to me as I am raising my children in America and I want them to be as happy as the Danes. My favorite example of the difference between Americans and Danes is how coffee is mostly “on the go” over here while in Denmark it is typically something you enjoy sitting down, preferably while talking with a friend. I had …

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 …