hygge

The Hygge Hype: How To Be Cosy At Christmas

A danish term meaning the art of living well, hygge is 2016’s most hyped buzzword to date. After a tumultuous year of unnerving world events, it seems like the ideal time for us to all embrace in a spot of hygge living. Read on and discover ways to inject hygge into your life for a cosy and perfectly chilled holiday season.

It’s easy to forget how important the simple things in life are when our schedules are jam packed. Brits are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to this. We seem to live under a constant pressure to fill our days up in any way possible. Preparing and scheduling valuable time in order to take a long breath and relax just isn’t in our DNA. Hygge, pronounced ‘hoogah’, derives from the slower-paced scandi isles of Denmark. The latest wellness trend to hit Britain, hygge simply means ‘cosy’. Create a snuggly atmosphere, read a book, light candles, eat food with friends, drink wine, leave the outside world behind and just be.

As the holidays approach, this is potentially the only time of year that Brits unknowingly perform hygge. When you tend to spend more quality time with your friends and family without having no real agenda. Hygge is also about togetherness – being with the ones you love is undoubtedly vital for your wellbeing. When the weather is brisk outside, there’s nothing better than that content feeling you get when you’re all cosy and warm in your home. That particular feeling is the whole essence of hygge.

Practising hygge isn’t as easy as just wearing woolly socks and getting comfortable on the sofa with a box set, though. There’s a little more effort involved in order to truly zone out of your everyday hectic life. Treat hygge as a ritual and it is bound to do great things for you.

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Denmark in Autumn. Credit: wired.com
escape

The best way to truly hygge out is to leave your life behind and escape reality for a while. Whether you’re up in the mountains, hiding in a forest or lazing by a lake, choose a peaceful place to have some time away from the hustle and bustle. Dr Latif, Psychologist at Psychology Direct explains, “just viewing a forest scene has been documented to have a very positive effect on psychological healing and recovering from stress, most particularly for individuals who are from busy cities or urbanised environments.” Take a break and book a few nights away to a luxury woodland cabin in Sherwood Forest, or retreat to somewhere more remote like this unique cottage at TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Getting headspace somewhere new is where hygge thrives.

Hygge is a complete absence of anything annoying or emotionally overwhelming; taking pleasure from the presence of gentle, soothing things.

home

Creating a space that you feel comfortable in is the first step to achieving a true hygge atmosphere. Try not to reach hermit levels of staying in, however longing for your cosy home after a hard day’s work isn’t to be frowned upon. Think soft and varied lighting, furry furnishings and candles galore. Woollen throws, fluffy slippers, fairy lights – go to town with making your pad look as snug as possible. Keep colours muted and materials au natural to maintain a serene ambience throughout your hub. Hygge flourishes when your space is peaceful. Declutter rooms, rearrange furniture and add comfy home accessories to inject zen into your surroundings.

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food

Eat clean but rich with this delectable Nordic inspired salad, tossed with tasty crab, fiery fennel and creamy avocado.

hygge

Ingredients

For the salad: 2x packs of Sainsbury’s baby kale / 1 small fennel / 1 bunch dill / 2 unwaxed lemons / 100ml light olive oil or vegetable oil / Salt and pepper. Garnish with: 1 large avocado (or 2 small) / 2x 100g packs Orkney crab (white or mixed) / 1/2 loaf Taste the Difference Dark Rye and Sunflower Seed Sourdough / Extra dill leaves and lemon.

Method

Start by placing the baby kale leaves in a mixing bowl, and on a chopping board either slice the fennel very thinly or carefully shave it using a mandolin. In another bowl, or in a mixer, place the dill, juice and zest of the lemons along with the oil and blitz together (or if using a bowl, finely chop the dill and whisk it with the dressing ingredients). Season this with a little salt and pepper, then use the dressing to massage the kale and fennel until all of it is covered in a layer of dill dressing. Keep massaging the greens for a few minutes to help break down the kale slightly and allow the dressing to sink in. Cover and set aside for half an hour. Meanwhile, to create your melbas, thinly slice the rye bread and grill or toast these using a medium heat until completely crisp. Scatter the dressed kale and fennel equally across 4 plates and slice the avocado, distributing that evenly as well. Sprinkle the Orkney crab over the top and break up some of the rye melbas on top, serving with a lemon quarter, a little extra black pepper and a few dill leaves as garnish if you wish. Recipe by Sainsbury’s