My blog likes to focus on "The Tea Life", which can take on as many definitions as there are tea drinkers. I may eventually call it "My Tea Life". Anyway, I've used this forum to explain things that are very Taking Tea with Catherine-friendly, and for the most part this has centered on tea rooms, cafes, and books that pair well with tea. But there's quite a few other bits of life that complement The Tea Life, and here is the first, and probably the most, in my opinion.
I've never been to Scandinavia, and I hope one day to remedy this. I'm mildly perturbed by the long winters, and hence the glut of short days, that come with being so far north. However, statistically it is said that people in Denmark and Norway especially have a higher quality of life compared with other lands, so they must be doing something right! And this seems to be related to the concept of Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga, but probably still sounding wrong coming from my mouth).
Before writing this post, I read a few books on the subject of Hygge, and found that perspectives vary on what exactly is Hygge. As a label, or a trend*, it points to cozy living with candles and friends gathering together around fires with sweaters and nature. Already this appeals to my love of "finding the cozy". But essentially the word means "well-being". I'm not going to expand further on language, because my mind is addled with Arabic right now, and I don't want to blow it up. That would not be Hygge. So I'll use the one word and intersperse it with English.
*I don't care for the fact that Hygge has become trendy, and I almost hesitated going on with a post about it. I get a little motion sickness riding the bandwagon. But principles are useful to glean. Besides, how would I know about Hygge if it hadn't breached its insularity?
There's much talk about long walks in nature, which I love, but don't have tremendous access to, so I shall translate this to hitting The Ramble in Central Park more often or Prospect Park for a change?
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| A snow day's attempt at Hygge, reading about Hygge. Like eating a pig-in-a-blanket in a blanket |
The concept of togetherness, especially around a communal meal, is encouraged. Yes, I need to be more proactive in having people over - I rarely have my nearby relatives over for a meal, and that's sad. Or - hello! - for tea? I already have more plants than I should in my apartment, which is quite a feat considering the lack of natural light and surface space (and the risk of getting a bit of flora that doesn't agree with Zenobia's biology). I finally got an umbrella tree plant for my desk at work, and it's flourishing much more than the sad excuse in my living room.
One thing I've nearly perfected is Hygge + Tea. I know the books talk about coffee and Fika more than tea, but it's nearly the same idea. I've rounded out all I've learned and decided that what works best for me is taking a little time for a cup of tea, a pastry, a book, and much less technological interference. That last part is the biggest challenge. My phone and I have a somewhat unhealthy relationship, and it would be a wonderful thing if I could keep my eyes and hands away from it even for an hour of my waking day. It's more than just Hygge, it's a mini-vacation!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you incorporate Hygge into your life (even if you've never used the term.) Soon I hope to write about other stuff I enjoy working into The Tea Life.
2 comments:
I sympathize with the "this has become so hipsterish, but otherwise I might not know about it" dilemma. As a 50% Finn, I guess Danes are sort of like second cousins to me. (My Finnish mom claims that Danes are sort of like the Italians of the Scandinavians - ie. they are jolly Southerners. I do note that she seems to be fonder of the Danes than of the Swedes, which doesn't surprise me. Other Nordics/Scandis all have issues with the Swedes.)
I think all the Nordics probably have some inkling of something hygge-like, but the Finns certainly are less cozy than the Danes. Also, I've visited all the Nordic countries but not in winter (the closest I've been to winter was a weekend in Oslo at the end of March, when there was still lots of snow on the ground) so I haven't had the full experience. But like you, I agree that tea and books really do the trick ;)
I'm reminded that I need to stop viewing Scandinavia as one big Viking blob, but with nuances and their own borders, geographical and self-invented. I was told Finns are even less affectionate than the English, and I'm almost afraid of how bubbly I would be in comparison (I'm kind of the ice queen where I live, not because I'm coldhearted but because of social tension).
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