I initially began this research project looking
specifically at the food that was deemed as hygge. What interested me was the
idea that a sole food item, the experience of eating or even the people that we
are eating with can make us happy. However, it became apparent to me that in
researching Scandinavian foods and approaches to life, the term hygge is a
rebrand of norms and values that have been instilled by the Nordic region for
several years. As a result, I began to look at an overview of Scandinavian life
that predated the hygge internet craze whilst still looking mainly at food and
the relationship that people have with it in the north – and why it makes them
so happy!
For me, hygge is about experiencing happiness in
the home setting or in the company of friends. But are the Scandinavian’s living
in a bubble? No. Whilst the anxieties of crime and other negative aspects of
life are not censored to the public, they are fictionalised in the format of
television series and books. This enables the hygge lifestyle to focus primarily
on individual experiences that encourage only positive behaviour in our real
lives. So hygge has been around for a while… But a refresh in our attitude to
life to inspire our own happiness can’t be a bad thing. It is a craze I am still
happy to be happy about. Cup of tea?
