Hygge, pronounced hoo'-gah, is a Scandinavian term that roughly translates to English as a feeling of family coziness and well-being. Here's a definition I found online.

a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).

History

The concept of hygge came about in order to fight the dreariness of the long, dark winters in Scandinavia. It often includes natural lighting and/or candles. It promotes a feeling of family togetherness. That's something we need more of everywhere these days.

 In Denmark where people are viewed as the happiest in the world, they focus on warm, comfortable, and relaxing family time during the winter months.

That's not because they're eternal optimists who can't see the trouble in the world, they just know that the best way to prevent mental health problems is to address them at their most rudimental level. In the home.

Here are 3 ways to create more hygge in your home.

one

Make sure your home includes spaces and time for being alone as well as for working together. Set up a table for a hobby, games, or puzzles. A card table with a tablecloth will usually do the trick.

two

Create a respect for each other in your home by taking the time to eat together. During the course of a meal you might get into the habit of asking each family member to share one thing that they learned during the day. Everybody listens, and there are no wrong answers.

three

Set aside 20-30 minutes each day when everyone takes a break from what they're doing and reads. Many kids will have to do this as their required homework anyway, but in my scenario, everyone, even you, reads. Pets are the ONLY exception, and they'll probably just join you anyway.

Anything age and family-appropriate can be allowed, but I'd advise against browsing the internet or reading social media. Real books just feel better!

You can also take turns summarizing what you read at the end. Kids too young to actually read words participate by looking at picture books.

These are just a few ways you can promote hygge in your home. What other things can you think of? Let us know in the comments below!

Nanci J Bradley is an early childhood and family educator, author, teacher, family aerobics instructor, and an all-around fun-loving person. She believes in the power of sleep, healthy eating, lifelong learning, and most of all, PLAY! She studied early childhood ed at Triton College and received her BS in education in 1986 from NIU. She received her MA in human dev from Pacific Oaks College in 2011. She lives and teaches in Madison WI and is the founder of early childhood rocks, a non-profit org dedicated to creating change through early childhood education.