This winter has been all about ‘hygge’ and embracing the Danish art of cosiness, warmth and beauty in everyday life.
The term, pronounced ‘hue-gah’, was even declared the UK’s third most influential word of 2017 by those brainy folk-in-the-know at Collins Dictionary.
Yet, as bleak January trudges on, its rampant use in glossy magazine supplements and arty coffee-table bibles may well have left you feeling a little hygged-out. Especially as festooning the living room with tealights and squishy cushions hardly seems like rocket science to many of us.
But while hygge’s time in the trend sphere may be up, it turns out the Danes aren’t the only ones to have established their own style of happy, homey living. Many of our Euro cousins have a similar take on hyggedom, which for some reason just doesn’t translate very well to these fair shores. Go figure.
Here are five continental alternatives to master for the year ahead – all of which will seriously impress your friends next time you’re sprawled in front of a roaring log fire in your finest cashmere knit…
GEZELLIG
What is it:
Pronounced ‘huh-sell-ick’, the Dutch variation of hygge has a strikingly similar meaning, roughly equating to a cosy, friendly atmosphere. Used to describe relaxed, intimate occasions, it also applies to more gregarious events such as a boozed-up birthday party. On a more abstract level, even a shop can be gezellig if it’s cute and inviting.
How to do it:
Lose yourself in one of Amsterdam’s ‘brown cafés’ such as Café t’Smalle, with its candlelit dark-wood interior, quiet chatter and sensation of being in someone’s front room. Order coffee – or something stronger – with a big slice of ‘appelnoten met slagroom' (apple cake and whipped cream), and you’ll be rocking your gezellig in no time.
PHOTO: JOVI WAQA.
LAGOM
What is it:
Putting up a fight in the Scandi corner, Sweden’s stab at hygge is the slightly clinical-sounding lagom – said ‘lah-gomm’. It too means enjoying nice stuff, but in moderation. According to Kathleen Bryson, a PhD student in evolutionary anthropology, it’s a state of having “not too much of one or the other, but more a Goldilocks ‘just right’.” Being Swedes, it’s a lifestyle choice that reflects equality and a good work/life balance.
How to do it:
Unlike hygge and gezellig, getting your lagom on means doing things frugally. So a lagom dinner will leave you feeling pleasantly full, rather than in a food coma. When it comes to style, lagom is functional – like an efficient but beautiful storage system in your kitchen. Unsurprisingly, IKEA has got in on the act with its new Lagom project, a three-year initiative showing us “how to make sustainable living easier, more affordable and attractive”.
PHOTO: ASHWIN VASWANI.
CWTCH
What is it:
Rhyming with ‘butch’, cwtch is what the Welsh do for a slice of hygge action. It has two main definitions, according to Oxford Dictionaries: ‘a cupboard or cubbyhole’, or ‘a cuddle or hug’. Frequently voted the nation’s favourite word, cwtch evokes nostalgia and safety, or escaping the bitter chill of a winter’s night.
How to do it:
In a word, get snuggly. You could simply watch a boxset under the duvet, or go out for dinner à deux (think romantic bistro rather than Nando’s). In style terms, donning a hoodie in proud Welsh red is pretty darn cwtch, particularly if it’s emblazoned with the word itself. Wear it in a cupboard while having a cuddle and you’ll be the all-time Queen of Cwtch.
PHOTO: NOMAO SAEKI.
KOSELIG
What is it:
Faced with the bone-chilling months of November to February, in which the sun fails to make it above the horizon, the Norwegians have created their own positive wintertime mindset. Koselig – pronounced 'kush-lee' – is all about hunkering down under blankets and hibernating, as well as taking comfort in loved ones, hearty grub and cockle-warming booze.
How to do it:
Close your eyes and imagine a log cabin on a snowy mountain. There’s a fire burning in the hearth; you’re wearing woolly socks and a Fair Isle sweater that Sarah Lund would steal off your back. Artisan ‘pølser’ (hot dogs) are sizzling over the flames; tumblers of potent Norwegian brandy are being passed around. That, in a nutshell, is koselig, dear friends.
PHOTO: JOSHUA NEWTON.
GEM Ü TLICHKEIT
What is it:
Not to be outdone, the Germans have got this hyggedy thing nailed. The hard-to-get-your-teeth-around gemütlichkeit – 'guh-moot-lish-kyt' – stems from the word ‘gemüt', which means heart, mind, or feeling. Today, it sums up a welcoming ambiance and sense of belonging, as well as ultra-cool design. What’s not to like?
How to do it:
Take to the streets of Berlin – the city’s tourist office even markets gemütlichkeit as a key visitor attraction. At every turn, dimly lit pop-up bars and cafés beckon, independent boutiques boast cutting-edge style, and hip young Berliners have taken to throwing convivial supper clubs in their own living rooms. In the summer months, the city’s famed beer gardens also have gemütlichkeit covered, with conversation and laughter flowing as freely as the frothy lager. Prost!
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