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From interest rates to the weekly shop, the cost of living is rising faster than it has been in decades. But the question is: has the price of happiness also increased? And if so, what can we do about it?
Let’s set things straight. Yes, money is important for happiness. If you’ve ever had to choose between putting food on the table and paying the electric bill, this isn’t news to you. While money is no guarantee of happiness, lack of money is a common cause of stress, worry and unhappiness.
I work at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. No, we don’t eat ice cream all day and stare at puppies. We look at data, studies and evidence to understand why some people are happier than others and what we can do to improve quality of life. One of our areas of focus is how we can decouple wealth from well-being. How can we get value for money when it comes to happiness?
While money is no guarantee of happiness, lack of money is a common cause of stress, worry and unhappiness (File image)
This is what hygge is all about. After all, Hygge, a Danish tradition that has recently become a global phenomenon, is about living the good life on a tight budget. It is the enjoyment of simple pleasures. The trick is to create a nice, warm, comforting atmosphere. As inflation rises, we’re all still striving for the good life — and hygge can be an essential ingredient in this pursuit, as it doesn’t require a bulky wallet. Far from. Hygge isn’t extravagant and wasteful, it’s about making the most of what you have.
Here are eight ideas on how to implement hygge to make your home happier this winter:
MAKE TIME TO ENJOY SPECIAL FAMILY DINNERS
A recent survey by the Social Issues Research Center found that 47 percent of Brits said they would like to have more family dinners, either at home or with a relative, and 49 percent of people in Britain consider family dinners the best choice. main way to spend quality time together.
Homemade dinners are cheaper, healthier and more hygienic. For ten years I have been interested in the question: how can we eat better? Not only from a nutritional point of view, but also from a happiness perspective.
There’s plenty of evidence to support the wellness value of family meals, with studies showing that dinners with those closest to you are associated with higher-than-average grades for teens; a stronger sense of belonging; better communication skills; less obesity and less depressive symptoms. In other words, the dining table is the place where you can have a positive impact on the physical and mental well-being of friends and family.
FOLLOW THE SUN LIKE YOUR CAT
Famously, there are three things that matter in real estate: location, location, location. However, when it comes to the hygge house, it is: lighting, lighting, lighting.
According to the World Health Organization, people who report that there is not enough natural light in their homes are at greater risk of depression.
By integrating natural light into homes or arranging our homes to make the most of the light, you can improve your mood and reduce the need for artificial light. Basically follow your cat. If there’s a streak of light, you’re here. Spin optional (File image)
Integrating natural light into homes or arranging our homes to make the most of the light will boost your mood and reduce the need for artificial lighting – good for your wallet and the planet. Plan your day by using the path of the sun. My desk is by the window, where the rays of the rising sun enter the room, while we dine in a room where the setting sun enters the house. Basically follow your cat. If there’s a streak of light, you’re here. Spiders optional.
CANDLES REALLY HAVE A SPECIAL MAGIC
Small changes in your home can have a big impact on your mood. Change the lamps, change the decor or just light a candle.
“After reading The Little Book Of Hygge, I went out and bought two candlesticks and we started lighting them at dinner,” one of my readers told me. He and his wife have three sons: one aged 15 (at the time) and 18-year-old twins. When he first started lighting candles for dinner, his boys teased him.
‘What about the romance, Dad? Do you want to have dinner with Mama alone?’ But soon he noticed small changes around the dining table. Time seemed to slow down. The teenagers became more talkative. The change in atmosphere put the boys in a narrative mood.
‘They don’t just serve the food anymore, they sip their drink, they talk about their day.’ Their family dinners now take 15 to 20 minutes longer. By making this simple change, mealtime is no longer just about food — it’s about hygge. And now it’s the boys lighting the candles for dinner.
CREATE A SEASONAL SALE-BY-DATE SHELF
Hygge isn’t about having everything; it’s about enjoying what you have. It uses the ancient virtues of frugality. It follows the traditions of earlier generations who didn’t throw things away because they were broken, but learned to fix them, fix clothes instead of buying new ones, use the food they had instead of letting it go to waste.
There is nothing hygge about food waste. A recent report showed that British households waste 4.5 million tons of food a year — worth £14 billion: that’s £700 for the average family a year. Creating a ‘retirement shelf’ in your fridge should help combat this waste. This is where you store the foods that need to be eaten the fastest so that you can easily identify and use these items instead of losing them in the back of the fridge and then throwing them away.
After all, Hygge, a Danish tradition that has recently become a global phenomenon, is about living the good life on a tight budget (File image)
GET A STOCK READY FOR WINTER
A well-stocked pantry is comforting. If there is something to eat in the fridge or in the kitchen cupboard at home, you can collapse during events beyond your control, whether that be a storm or a pandemic.
Stocking up and creating a small pantry also means respecting the ebb and flow of seasonality in nature. Seasonal eating means eating or storing food that is grown and harvested locally. Hygge is also about enjoying the process of filling the pantry, appreciating the preparation and looking forward to the delicious results you can enjoy at home on a quiet winter evening. So go stew, pickle and bottle.
Throw EVERYTHING IN PIZZA EVENINGS
Use what you have – and make the most of it. Meet catch-all recipes. Got some tomatoes, two lumps of cheese, an onion, half a zucchini, an almost empty jar of olives, and some leftover meat? Good news: it’s pizza night! Think soups, risottos, stews, and stews to incorporate your leftovers into new meals.
Berries and other fruit that go off can be turned into jam or into cakes. Apples, rhubarb or oranges? Melt some sugar in an ovenproof pan, add butter and then the fruit. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then cover the fruit with some puff pastry and tuck it around the sides (careful, the sugar may still be hot).
Prick the dough with a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 200c (400f) for 25 minutes. Let cool for ten minutes, then place a plate on top of the pan and turn it over. Your tarte tatin (if using apples) is ready for an afternoon of pure hygge.
FREEZER LISTS ON YOUR PHONE
When you put something in the freezer, you think, “I see this is bolognese and in three months I’ll know it’s bolognese.” The thing is, in three months you’ll have added three more containers of brownish leftovers, so it’s hard to tell what this frozen chunk of brown is now, and you may very well be eating spaghetti with duck sauce. So make sure to label your leftovers clearly.
In addition, I find it helpful to have an up-to-date list on my phone of what’s in the freezer. It’s good to know that one night when you get home from work later than expected, you have something in the freezer that can be put in a pan, put on the stove and — voila! – food is ready. Lamb stew, minestrone soup, and duck ragout are just a few of my favorites.
If there’s something to eat in the fridge or kitchen cupboard at home, you can hang out during events, be it a storm or a pandemic (File image)
GET IN LOVE WITH YOUR CAR
Transport is more hygge on foot or on two wheels. Okay, it may not be possible to ditch the car depending on where you live, but with fuel prices so high, it just doesn’t make sense that more than 60 percent of short one- to two-mile journeys are made by a car or bus in the UK. If possible, use your bicycle for these trips. Yes, I use my superpowers as a naive Danish man who thinks that most trips can be made by bicycle and that you can carry groceries in a basket or backpack, but why not?
After all, the British Household Panel Survey found that people who switch from the car to walking or cycling improved their psychological well-being, even if the journey was longer.
Hopefully, these steps ignite the understanding that the good life builds on connection and purpose, and everyday simple pleasures. That our wealth is measured not by the size of our bank accounts, but by the strength of our bonds, the health of our loved ones – and the sound of the stew simmering on the stove.
My Hygge Home: How To Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking (£16.99, Penguin Life) is out now.