I just received this book from Harper Collins. I haven't had a chance to dig into it yet.
The word "hygge" has been bandied about a lot lately.
It is a Danish term. Danish winters are long and dark, so the Danes fight the darkness with hygge.
There is no single translation for this concept. It is pronounced hoo-gah or hue-gah. The Danes use this word to describe feelings of happiness, coziness and comfort.
Hygge is both a philosophy and a way life. It has helped the Danes understand the importance of simplicity.
In March 2016, the UN World Happiness Report (WHR) announced that Denmark once again ranked as ‘the happiest country in the world’ – the third time the Scandinavian country topped the UN list since it was introduced in 2012.
Happiness can be defined in a number of ways. According to the WHR, happiness is more closely linked to social equality and community spirit rather than how much money you earn or how big a car you drive.
They pay high taxes in their country. That and the long dark winters would seem to indicate depression instead of happiness.
But, those aforementioned high taxes might play an important role in securing Denmark's happiness.
They help level the playing field, making Denmark a relatively egalitarian country where the costs of health care, college education and child care are shared.
To quote the 18th century Danish thinker Nikolaj Grundtvig, Denmark is a country where “few have too much, and even fewer have too little.”
Go here to read a great article on the Danes and hygge.
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