A variety of books on ‘How to Hygge’ are available in many bookshops.
Waterstones Online declares that ‘if you’ve not found your hygge yet, we have plenty of lovely books to tell you how.’ The OED defines hygge as: ‘A quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).’ Photos tagged ‘hygge’ (that’s pronounced ‘hoo-gah’) on Instagram often involve candles, porcelain mugs holding hot chocolate or tea, an abundance of blankets, books and soft lighting. Everything that makes you glad to not be outside in the frozen darkness of 4pm during British Winter Time.
Liturgy of comfort
If liturgy is a daily routine or ritual which expresses what we love and desire, and thus an act of worship, then hygge is a cultural liturgy of comfort. Back to the Waterstones website – on the same page in related titles are books on the Marie Kondo approach to minimalism. That fits. It’s a small and simple step from getting rid of possessions which do not ‘spark joy’ to closing off and fleeing from the hard day at work or the conversation with a family member which didn’t ‘spark joy’. Hygge would have us disengage from that which is emotionally disturbing and mentally taxing by swaddling ourselves in the familiar. That isn’t real comfort – it’s distraction.
