On July 14, 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, The Happiness Museum opened its doors in Copenhagen, Denmark. It took about 5 minutes on their website for me to decide that visiting the museum belongs on the top of my bucket list.
For years I have been curious as to how the Danish manage to show up in the top 3 nationalities on international happiness surveys. I mean, c’mon! It’s dark most of the year. It’s cold and rainy. On top of that, Danes pay 50% income tax plus a minimum 25% VAT (Value-added Tax). Cars have a 150% VAT! Of course, most people ride bicycles, so there’s that.
In 2006, we took 7 of our children on a trip to Denmark—or as I call it, “The Motherland.” My husband is Danish—at least Danish enough to have known the first relatives to come to the United States. The Carøe family is pretty famous in Denmark’s history and we took the children to Randers, Denmark to see a family portrait of the “patriarch.”
But I digress…it was a beautiful country…and that’s where I’ll leave it.
So what is it about Denmark that makes their citizens so happy? The answer is hygge. Pronounced HOO-gah, this little word is roughly translated as “coziness,” but that’s a terrible translation. Hygge is an atmosphere. A warm glow of flickering candlelight. Enjoying the good things in life with people you care about and love. It is cozying up with a good book and a glass of wine. For Danes, hygge is a lifestyle. It comes naturally. It’s about enjoying the commonplace. It’s about celebrating ordinary days and special days with singing and dancing and eating without a fuss, without worrying about calories, and without all the hustle and bustle. It’s….well…hygge!
Look, we all want to be happy and healthy, we want to relax and enjoy our homes, but the truth is that most Americans don’t want to make time for it—and hygge takes time. It has to be intentional and lead toward a desired lifestyle that is experienced everyday, year round. I have spent decades trying to cultivate hygge in my life and I feel like I can truly call myself a Hygge Master.
I recently picked up my well-worn copy of THE LITTLE BOOK OF HYGGE. This little book came out in 2017, long after I’d begun cultivating a hygge lifestyle, but didn’t realize that’s what it was called. As I re-read the book, I couldn’t help but think how important wine is to my sense of peace, coziness, and overall sense of well-being.
Here are the top 5 ways that I use wine to curate my own happiness and complement my hygge lifestyle. Remember, please, that with all things HYGGE, wine should be consumed mindfully (and in moderation).
- Drink wine with dinner. I have some winemaker friends who typically only drink wine with food–primarily dinner. Food is a huge part of a hygee lifestyle, and wine is its natural partner. Drinking wine with dinner–especially dinner by candlelight–delights all our senses as it enhances the flavor of our food. Wine at dinner encourages us to put our devices away, eat more slowly, converse, laugh, and relax. Have you ever noticed how much longer you sit at the table when wine is involved? The polyphenols in wine help with digestion and, if we stay off our devices and away from screens for the remainder of the evening, wine encourages better sleep.
- Visit a winery tasting room. My preferred way to do a wine tasting is at a winery’s tasting room. Wine always tastes better in the tasting room because the whole atmosphere is designed to reflect the underlying philosophy of the winemaker. The tasting room “vibe” goes a long way to explain the wine. A good tasting room design promotes relaxation, conversation, education, and HYGGE! More often than not, I leave feeling happier than when I arrived because I had good conversation with the winemaker or tasting room manager while sipping and evaluating new wines. Tastings are the perfect way to enjoy wine mindfully. A tasting flight is generally the equivalent of a single glass of wine, but I have been able to try anywhere from three to six different wines. Because each pour is just a taste, I engage my senses more readily and savor each one longer.
- Drink wine outside. Years ago I read an article with a list of habits that are believed to be linked to good health. One of the habits was to get outside. Being outside is both relaxing and invigorating. I absolutely love being outside on the patio with a glass of wine. I know what you’re probably thinking…you’re thinking “Yea, me too, but only when it’s not too hot or not too cold.” Here’s what I’m thinking…the weather doesn’t matter! As long as the wind isn’t blowing and there’s no precipitation coming out of the sky, it’s a good day to go outside. Some of my best memories are of wine drinking outside. In 2018, we took the family to Paris for New Year’s Eve. We sat on the steps of the Sacre Couer with a bottle of wine watching the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. It was freezing cold, but I only remember the warmth of ringing in the New Year with my family at one of the most beautiful spots on earth. The sense of Hygge will last forever.
- Host a wine “potluck.” By that, I mean “bottle-luck.” Have your friends over and ask them to bring a bottle of wine. You can even set a theme is you are so inclined. I’m an introvert and being around too many people wears me out (says the Mom with 8 children). Being worn out is not part of a hygge lifestyle so I am very careful about how and with whom I can spend my energy without being completely depleted. I have a great little group of friends that I get together with about once a month. We decide on a varietal or wine region or theme (something like Weird Wines) and we all bring a bottle. There’s always food, laughter, and great conversation. It is the epitome of hygge living.
- Wine with the total hygge experience. If there is such a thing as the TOTAL hygge experience, it involves the right light, the right clothing, the right food, the right music or book, and the right wine. Light is essential in the hygge philosophy. The Dane’s are masters at light. At my house, I either light the fireplace (in winter) and/or light candles. I have a little topiary that is wrapped in white lights that comes on at twilight all year round. Hygge is about being minimalist in your choices–including clothing. I love to change into my loose, drawstring joggers and fleece top in the winter and my flowy tank top dresses in the summer. Danes love their meats and their sweets and since they are the experts on happiness, I try to imitate their style with unique meat and sweet heavy charcuterie boards or small plates. So, I have the perfect light, I’m in my comfy clothes, and I’ve prepared some food. I get my smart speaker to play some music, I pick up my book, and I open a bottle of wine. If this isn’t HYGGE, I don’t know what is.
Is there something missing in your life? Do you long for hygge? It’s within reach, my friends. Light a candle. Turn out the lights. Grab your wine. Turn on Netflix. Put your feet up. Curate your happiness!
Until next time….
#CHEERS
Don’t forget to send me an email and tell me how your curate your happiness! Also, take a look at my ARCHIVES for more ideas on how to embrace and experience wine. #winelifestyle
Wine of Enchantment 