A couple of months ago, as the weather started getting cold in New York and I began my annual ritual of wondering why I live here, I received an email from my friend. The subject line read, "Sat, Nov. 22: Hygge Party!"
It was an invitation, in preparation of impending winter, for a Brooklyn gathering to "celebrate all things hyggeligt. Friends, family and lovers very welcome," she wrote to the 20-person email chain.
The gathering wasn't some nonsensical hipster abstraction, nor was it a swingers partyHygge (pronounced somewhere between "HYOO-gah" and "HOO-gah") is a Danish cultural concept that doesn't have a direct English translation. Used as a noun and a verb, the word comes close to "coziness." But it's more a mental state of well-being, a conscious effort to create a cozy atmosphere. Lighting candles and drinking wine on a cold winter night — that's hygge. Hanging out with good friends and family at the park on clear summer day — that's hygge, too. Read more...
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