'Tis the Season to be Hygge

To all friends and family,

Since the Little Mermaid statue is back from China, I decided it was necessary to visit her before I left Copenhagen. As I gazed at her, I wondered what all the fascination was about considering she’s pretty anticlimactic in real life. But amid my visions of stereotypical Asian tourists opting to take their “peace sign” pictures with her, the fascination hit me. Maybe it’s not the actual statue that travelers admire, but the fact that it’s their insight into another human society. It’s the fact that Danish hands made this piece of work. Maybe it’s a reminder that despite our little bubbles that we tend to trap ourselves into, it’s gratifying to know that human kind does stretch across all corners of the earth. And so maybe that’s the fascination with travel—that people can feel just a little more connected with the whole human race rather than their own distinct societies. It’s a broad and vague concept, but I could narrow it down to a specific example in my mind. A camera. People would rather marry the Grinch then hand out their credit cards, purses, ipods, and any other items deemed “valuable” to a stranger. But without a blink we’ll hand our camera to a stranger so that they can help document our travels. And the biggest surprise? They hand it right back without a blink. I don’t marvel at this because “it restores my faith in humanity.” It’s more that some intangible link exists between every being that says “yes I’m from country x and you’re from country y, but we’re here for the same reason.” And I think that kind of bond that no one can verbalize somewhat touches that funny Danish concept called “hygge.” In Danish class we’re often asked “what do you think hygge means?” Is it hiding behind a bush? Does it sneak up on you at night like the Tooth Fairy, sprinkling some sort of magical happy dust? No I think not. And I don’t think there is some sort of concrete definition for this abstract concept. But to me, hygge is having a friend, who, at the drop of a hat, will come over just to reaffirm that 1. Yes you are beautiful, intriguing, and worthy of any man’s attention, 2. will help you pull those (saucy) big girl panties out of your drawer and put them on, and 3. Say, “now let’s go get a beer.” It’s knowing that my parents would somehow manage to send a swarm of rescue squads to my position after one distressed phone call. It’s being accepted into a foreign family as one of their own without question. It’s for all those friends that send care packages, letters, and facebook messages just to let you know that you’re still thought of while a billion miles away. It’s the time when someone has simply said “relax Findley, just relax” during one of my “Oh my God what if I don’t get this internship, what about my future, blah blah blah” moments. And you know what? For the love of God you could even hygge yourself! It could be any of those moments where despite that overwhelming feeling that everything is pilling up, you somehow manage to say to yourself “Self, I will face the day with the heart of a lion!” (and you subsequently play “Eye of the Tiger” on your Ipod). And so maybe hygge is simply remembering that despite your own little circle of deadlines, meetings, exams, and worries, there’s a whole slew of people who actually love you. And the greatest thing? Despite your whole little circle of deadlines, meetings, exams, and worries, you actually love them back. I think the Danes have a word for this because they’ve become masters at taking the time out of their day to simply sit and think about the fact that “Yes indeed there are children starving in Africa, but I am quite content with my life.” But hygge is not strictly Danish. It goes back to that intangible and unspeakable bond that seems to hover over all societies, sprinkling it’s little happy dust here in there. Afterall, somewhere in China is a friend who is telling her friend to put on her big girl panties and deal with it.

And so finally, here is my attempt at hygge for you. I’d like to say thank you—because for the first time, “Oh I don’t want any Christmas presents this year” does NOT mean “Actually I’m really hoping I get a pair of black boots.” Amid the -1 degree Celsius temperatures I actually get that warm and cozy feeling just thinking that at the heart of humanity, is the need to bestow love. So now, I’d like to send a little hygge and love your way. Imagine me boxing up some of my warmth, wrapping it with shiny gold paper (because hygge can be fashionable, afterall), and neatly tying it with a 6-inch ribbon bow. This I send to all whom I love with hopes that you will know, as I have known, that somewhere…maybe overseas stuck in a foreign wintry blizzard...you are loved. Tis the season to be hygge.

Even if you do actually want a pair of black boots.

F