‘Koselig’ Is not the Similar as ‘Hygge’

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Every summer time, Europe’s Nordic nations—which constantly rank among the many world’s happiest—reap the advantages of their geographic place, with daylight stretching into the evening. Then, come winter, the other is true, and darkness creeps into daytime.

Although individuals who stay on this a part of the world aren’t resistant to seasonal affective dysfunction (SAD), they do have a number of cultural coping methods to assist them get by way of the winter. One in every of these, referred to as “koselig,” comes from Norway, and could also be helpful within the coming months. Right here’s what to know

The similaries between okayoselig vs. hygge

At this level, you’re in all probability aware of the Danish idea of “hygge” (pronounced “hoo-gah”). It took off stateside in 2016 and 2017, however somewhat than fading away, it grew to become much more mainstream (and arguably, helpful) in 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when many individuals have been spending extra time at dwelling than typical.

Like hygge, the Norwegian idea of “koselig” (pronounced “koosh-lee”) is commonly roughly translated as “coziness,” however can also be extra nuanced than that. Each hygge and koselig heart on accepting and embracing winter for what it’s (i.e. chilly, darkish, and many others), somewhat than fixating on or being annoyed about what it isn’t (i.e. heat, sunny, and many others). And they’re each rooted in experiencing the current: Even for those who’d choose to skip forward to the climate a number of months sooner or later.

The variations between koselig and hygge

Though koselig and hygge share a number of similarities, there are two key variations between the Nordic approaches to winter:

1. Who: Hygge tends to be about in search of coziness and internal heat by your self, whereas koselig goals to realize the identical end result by way of socializing with family and friends.
2. The place: Hygge sometimes entails getting cozy indoors, whereas koselig embraces the chilly, with warmly dressed individuals (in a number of layers of soppy, cozy clothes) gathering open air.

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In fact, getting up from the nest you’ve made for your self on the sofa and leaving the heat of your private home could not essentially sound interesting within the winter, however placing in even slightly effort could assist enhance your temper throughout this darkish time of yr.