New York Times BestsellerEmbrace Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) and become happier with this definitive guide to the Danish philosophy of comfort, togetherness, and well-being.Why are Danes the happiest people in the world? The answer, says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, is Hygge. Loosely translated, Hygge—pronounced Hoo-ga—is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and … Hygge—pronounced Hoo-ga—is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. “Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience,” Wiking explains. “It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling that we are safe.”
Hygge is the sensation you get when you’re cuddled up on a sofa, in cozy socks under a soft throw, during a storm. It’s that feeling when you’re sharing comfort food and easy conversation with loved ones at a candlelit table. It is the warmth of morning light shining just right on a crisp blue-sky day.
The Little Book of Hygge introduces you to this cornerstone of Danish life, and offers advice and ideas on incorporating it into your own life, such as:
- Get comfy. Take a break.
- Be here now. Turn off the phones.
- Turn down the lights. Bring out the candles.
- Build relationships. Spend time with your tribe.
- Give yourself a break from the demands of healthy living. Cake is most definitely Hygge.
- Live life today, like there is no coffee tomorrow.
From picking the right lighting to organizing a Hygge get-together to dressing hygge, Wiking shows you how to experience more joy and contentment the Danish way.
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Already rated this in detail. Superb non-fiction how-to book that makes you feel warm and happy just reading it. A scientist whose specialty is studying happiness lays out in-depth how the Danish concept of hygge is implemented.
Meik Wiking, CEO of Copenhagen-based Happiness Research Institute, outlines why Danes are some of the happiest people in the world. Covering topics from lighting to food, and including recipes and twelve must-have Christmas traditions, Wiking shares the concept of hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) with the rest of the world.
The Little Book of Hygge was pleasant enough, but as an introvert, I found very little new information here. I try to maintain a cozy, welcoming home and I’ve always preferred low lighting. I love candles (although not to the extent that Danes apparently do), sweets, comfort food, and Christmas. My list of close friends is small but I try to see them every time I visit home. I’m apparently already living a hygge lifestyle.
The one idea that I really hope to incorporate when my husband and I stop traveling with his job is hosting a regular night for friends to come over. We tend to meet everyone at restaurants, which limits our time together. A game night or potluck is more personal. Well, it’s more hygge.
I found the book to be repetitive. I was truly tired of the word hygge and all its variations by the time I finished reading this. Every fifth word was hygge (that’s probably an exaggeration). Mr. Wiking frequently cross references his topics. Considering that it’s only 225 small pages with numerous illustrations, I found that curious. I read it in one sitting so there was absolutely no need to tell me that candles were mentioned on other pages every time they came up.
The book itself is a pleasure to hold. It’s just the right size to fit my hands, lightweight, with illustrations in a style that I can only describe as Scandinavian. I found myself just enjoying the feel of the paper.
The Little Book of Hygge does have good ideas and I recommend it for people who want to foster a slower, more cozy and intimate lifestyle. Since that’s already my preference, others, possibly extroverts, may find more new ideas to adopt than I did.
I received this as a gift from a reader and I LOVED IT! I was already about the hygge lifestyle before I even knew what it was — who knew?! LOL. But this was awesome to read more about how to make your home and every little encounter with friends more hyggeligt. I really enjoyed the author’s voice and the way he shared his research at the happiness institute. A fun little read to have on your bedside table or read a little each morning with your coffee.
A great book to give ideas to warm up your “nest”. Helps during the dreary winter to remind you ways to warm up both physically and mentally.
Everything you need to knwo.
Very full of itself. Not much originality.
This was an interesting read. I’d heard a lot about this book prior to picking it up (yay for a sale!), and I’ll admit, I had some preconceived notions that there was going to be a lot of dry data in here telling me something I already knew: sweaters are cozy, so is yummy food, cozy and yummy = happy. But, as I said, it was on sale, so I picked it up because who doesn’t like science confirming what they already know? This book did have a good bit of data in it, but it wasn’t dry. Wiking presents it all in a careful examination of just one aspect of Danish culture. He admits that a lot of the data was telling us things we already knew, but pointed out the importance of having the stats to back it up and the facts established as we search more and more for something we’re all invested in: what will make us happiest? This book was interesting for the introduction/analysis of Danish culture alone, but adding in Wiking’s research with the Happiness Institute gave it an additional depth.
Did a lot of this confirm things I already knew to be true? Yes, but I will say it offered theories and suggestions on why things are the way they are, and what we can do to improve happiness both for ourselves and our community. Because that was the thing I think that surprised me about Hygge- it’s very egalitarian, it’s about making those around you hygge as much as it is about experiencing hygge for yourself. Will this cause me to drastically change my life? No. But I’m now very curious about Danish culture and have a desire to visit someday. I may not drastically change my lifestyle, but I think little parts of this book will stick with me and cause me to change tiny things in my life that will add up to a greater whole. Denmark is one of if not the happiest countries in the world, and we’d be foolish not to learn a little something from the Danes.
This was a delightful book and the author has a wonderful sense of humor
Really explains about Hygee and how to incorporate it into your own life.
Not a lot of depth but a cozy read 🙂
A good primer on hygge
It was ok. I couldn’t finish it. A bit boring and slow.
Love the topic, thought the writing was ok. It was a little fluffy for my taste, but still fun to read over the holidays.
I love the concept and plan to incorporate a little of it in my life
I enjoyed learning about the whole concept of Hygge. It made me want to incorporate some of the ideas into my life and my home.
Good ideas to make the coming winter more cozy!
Uplifting
Comforting to read
Made me want to light a candle, make cocoa and a fire.
Easy to read and has effective techniques.