COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 — It’s been a turbulent year across the world. As 2017 comes to an end, for those who celebrate Christmas, it’s supposed to be a time of togetherness. And yet, consumerism and excess can often overtake true values. But the Danes (amongst the happiest people in the world) have another way. It’s called hygge (pronounced hoo-guh) – and it doesn’t cost a thing. So how can the rest of the world emulate it and be happy this festive season? From a family dinner at home, to sitting by the fire catching up with friends, hygge itself is difficult to define. Literally it means ‘cosiness’, but it goes much further than that. It’s a state of being and a mindset, above all.

Acclaimed author of The Little Book of Hygge and CEO of The Happiness Research Institute of Copenhagen, Meik Wiking, believes hygge is now more relevant to the world than ever.

“For us Danes, hygge is this pursuit of every day happiness. It’s not this American grand phenomenon of extreme happiness. But it’s everyday pleasure. Seeking simple pleasures, enjoying good food and wine with good people. Enjoying the atmosphere in a room and enjoying simple pleasures with loved ones. That’s what hygge is to Danes and we try and do pursue on a daily basis. Because we do it, it also accumulates and contributes to life satisfaction,” says Wiking.

One thing’s for sure, hygge is synonymous with feeling happy.

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Hygge is quintessentially Danish, and I would describe it as a way of coming together and feeling connected,” says Louise Brooks in a Copenhagen café.

Stall-holder Bo Jensen adds: “In the winter time, when it gets dark at three in the afternoon. Hygge is big time. Your roll your blinds down in your house, get the coffee out and a piece of cake and you sit there and you hygge. And it’s good!”

2016 saw hygge shortlisted for Oxford Dictionaries “Word of the Year”, and become the theme of several books. But if last year was about the world learning about what hygge might mean, this year is all about trying to put it into practice — especially at Christmas. Chef and author of Scandinavian Christmas, Trine Hahnemann, emphasises that hygge cannot be bought. “I think it’s about putting love and care into it. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Very important. Hygge is about creating something special. That can be with anything. Then it’s about setting the table, lighting a candle and just being there. Have a conversation, have dinner together and show people you have put some love and care into it,” says Hahnemann.

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The quest to find the real meaning of the word has led a US film company to create a documentary called Finding Hygge. It’s a journey about learning how to find the truly good things in life that make you happy. Although the film will not be released until March 2018, the rest of the world can learn from the Danes in the meantime, by ‘finding hygge’ this Christmas. — Reuters