What EXACTLY is Hygge? The Danish trend is ideal for Xmas day
2018 brought us plenty of trends that we want to leave in the past, but Danish cosiness concept hygge is going from strength to strength.
We're sure that by now you have stumbled across the trending term and wondered, firstly, how the hell you pronounce it.
It's "hoo-ga," but the pronunciation is pretty much the only complicated consideration from this trend.
Hygge describes the distinctly Danish feeling of cosiness and contentment, which involves setting up your living space in a way that promotes comfort, and taking the time to do things like soak in a candle-lit bubble bath and lounge around on Scandi-style blankets with purring, sleepy cats.
Oxford Dictionary short-listed the term for its word of the year, so it's definitely popular.
A quick search for the term on Instagram throws up over 1 million images of thick, knitted socks and tables strewn with books and scented candles.
The national obsession with all things comfy is credited as one of the reasons why Denmark is always at the top of the list of the world's happiest countries.
Instead of wallowing in misery during the infamously violent winters, the Danes have embraced their indoor time by creating snug, fairy-lit spaces away from the cold.
Gonna Hygge the sh*t out of 2day: tea, knitting, bacon, legos, boardgames, walking dog. Postmodern feminist rage & movie chitchat on pause.
— Shelley Gustavson (@shelleygusto) December 26, 2016
The movement even promotes the wearing of comfortable pyjama-esque clothes that you would never wear outside.
Thermal leggings, UGGs and knitted jumpers are the outfit of choice.
Hyggebukser is even the hygge term for leggings, as if we needed another excuse to constantly wear them.
Countless books have been written on the subject, showing the non-natives how to perfect the art.
So, next time you feel guilty for watching Love Actually under a throw blanket with a mug of hot chocolate all day, just remember you're partaking in this year's hottest trend.
