In September we visited Sweden and Denmark, and reading The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking felt like the perfect choice for the location and the time of year. The weather was a tad chilly during the first few days, as if offering a sneak preview of autumn, and I found myself embracing the urge to get cosy.

We’ve all heard of hygge, but how do we actually bring that sense of warmth and comfort into our everyday lives? Especially considering that the Danes, who coined the term, are among the happiest people in the world—and, as Wiking suggests, much of that happiness comes from mastering the art of hygge. Thankfully, Wiking has all the answers. He has come up with a manifesto, a ten-point hygge action plan if you will, to achieving everyday happiness. Here’s my personal take, using his ten points and subtitles, as a basis to frame our trip. 

PRESENCE

Be in the here and now. Switch off your phone. 

While we were in Stockholm, I made sure to visit the Fotografiska Museum. After exploring the exhibitions by Feng Li and Shepard Fairey, I headed up to the top floor for lunch. It had been raining all day, and I was still a bit damp from the walk to the museum, but as I sat there, something magical happened. The sun began to peek out from behind the clouds, casting a soft light over the water, while boats quietly glided by—a perfect moment of calm and stillness after the rain.

EQUALITY

‘We’ over ‘me’. Share the tasks and the airtime.

These beautiful buildings in the historic district of Stockholm share their space together and have done for so many years. They don’t share tasks but I like to think they share airtime or maybe brick time together. I can almost imagine them chatting away every evening when all the people have left.

PLEASURE

Coffee, chocolate, cookies, cakes, candy. Gimme! Gimme!

When in Denmark, eat Danish pastries. What more can I say? 

GRATITUDE

Take it in. This might be as good as it gets. 

Tom and I both took Interrail trips around Europe in our teenage years, though we never travelled together. Sitting across from him on a train, heading to a museum, brought back that Before Sunrise feeling. We watched the landscape glide by, reading and occasionally chatting, lost in the quiet rhythm of the journey, feeling grateful for all the time together.

ATMOSPHERE

Turn down the lights.

Our visit was at the tail end of summer, when the evenings were bathed in that soft, golden sunset light. We were lucky enough to enjoy one candlelit meal outside, but before we made our way into the restaurant’s garden, we were introduced to their library of pickles. The light at that moment was just perfect—the sun slowly fading, as if gently turning down the brightness on the last days of summer.

TOGETHERNESS

Build relationships and narratives. Do you remember the time we…

Yes. I remember the time we went on a quest for cocktails. We were in Aarhus and I asked the hotel receptionist for his recommendations. He suggested a secret cocktail bar, hidden behind several unmarked doors. Intrigued by the challenge, we decided to embark on the quest together after dinner. When we finally found it, the cocktails were amazing, and the atmosphere was so much fun. It ended up being one of the highlights of our trip.

HARMONY

It’s not a competition. We already like you. There is no need to brag about your achievements. 

These vegetables at dinner, so beautifully prepared and presented. There was nothing fancy about them and yet they were so perfectly balanced.

COMFORT

Get comfy. Take a break. It’s all about relaxation. 

Meanwhile, the architecture in historic Aarhus felt smaller and more inviting compared with Stockholm, with bicycles leaning against the walls.

TRUCE

No drama. Let’s discuss politics another day.

There has been so much politics recently. But it is good to remember to take a break from the heaviness of it all and enjoy just being together.

SHELTER

This is your tribe. This is a place of peace and security.

After all the travelling, the beautiful sights we saw, the food we enjoyed, and the stories we created, I was happy to be home again—just in time to start getting into our own hygge mood at the start of autumn.

I hope you enjoy getting hygge with it as the colder months start.

Kirstin