The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well

Cover image and summary from Goodreads:

Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. That's down to one thing: hygge.

'Hygge has been translated as everything from the art of creating intimacy to cosiness of the soul to taking pleasure from the presence of soothing things. My personal favourite is cocoa by candlelight...'

You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on a sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right.

Who better than Meik Wiking to be your guide to all things hygge? Meik is CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen and has spent years studying the magic of Danish life. In this beautiful, inspiring book he will help you be more hygge: from picking the right lighting and planning a dinner party through to creating an emergency hygge kit and even how to dress.

Meik Wiking is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. He is committed to finding out what makes people happy and has concluded that hygge is the magic ingredient that makes Danes the happiest nation in the world.

It wasn’t that long ago that I first heard about the concept of hygge. I came across it in a couple of articles that I read about quality of life and happiness in our daily life. One of the articles mentioned that there were even books you could buy about hygge – so off I went to the Chapters website to get one for myself!

This little book was so enjoyable and charming! The cover is beautiful, as are the photos inside the book. The writing is informative, insightful, and full of humour.

It was quite cold (20 degrees [Celsius] below zero) and snowy as I read The Little Book of Hygge – and I made sure that I was snuggled up in my jammies, on the couch under a blanket, with my reading socks on. So hygge!

There really was a lot touched on in here that I want to practice and include in my daily life: slowing down, being intentional with my time, enjoying the simple moments like cooking with my husband, putting my phone down and being present, etc.

This was a perfect book to read as a Canadian in January, with so much winter weather still ahead. And it made for some great food for thought while I contemplated the new year and resolutions. Recommended!