RACHEL A.G. REYES
RACHEL A.G. REYES

HYGGE, roughly pronounced hoo-geh, is a Danish word that is difficult to translate but, very approximately, means “coziness” or “comfort and intimacy between close family and friends”. Many Danes regard this quality as a quintessential element of the national character. It is said that “hygge is to Danes what freedom is to Americans.” In the run-up to the Christmas season, a surprising number of books written in English, up to a dozen in the space of a few months, have appeared promoting this state of Danish well-being. Various authors have described it as an attitude of relaxation and exclusiveness, the sort of warm, convivial feeling that, say, sipping cocoa by candlelight among a circle of intimates might evoke. Marketed as a way for foreigners to access the relaxed, tight-knit, egalitarian Danish lifestyle, hygge consumerist trappings--fluffy dressing gowns, cashmere sweaters, hand-knitted socks, hand-sewn cushions, recipes for spicy buns and breads, scented candles--speak of the simple pleasures of warm hearths and homes, the feelings of safety, solace and trust that comes with being among those you hold dearest and closest, implicitly celebrating authentic, simple pleasures and the solidarity of small communities.

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