Getting cozy

“It was so wonderful to be there, safe at home, sheltered from the winds and the cold. Laura thought that this must be a little like heaven, where the weary are at rest.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” suggests a sense of comfort and contentment. The word possibly stems from a Danish word meaning “to give courage, comfort, joy.” Another theory suggests that hygge was derived from the Old Norse word “hugr”  — which is the origin of the word “hug.” Hygge has become a popular marketing term in Scandinavia in recent years — and we’ve embraced it here in the northern United States, especially in the cold winter months.

Those of us who live in the Midwest and Northeast have put our gardens to bed. Our thoughts and activities turn inward as winter approaches and the cold weather sets in.

Hygge is the feeling we get when we’re snuggled up at home with a soft blanket around our shoulders and a good book in hand, oblivious to the winter chill outside. ~Cindy La Ferle