Finding Unexpected Hygge

Have you ever felt true peace? How about comfort and happiness – all at the same time? Well I have and last year when I was in….wait a second; I think I need to tell you a story. My best friend and I met in kind of an unconventional way – on an internet message board for a woman we both mutually admire, but that’s actually beside the point. The point is that she is from Denmark and I am a born and bred Texas girl.

Susan and I got to meet face to face for the first time in New York City in early 2008 to enjoy some theater and meet our previously mentioned mutual idol. Last October I decided to make the big flight across the ocean to visit Susan on her soil. While preparing for my trip to Denmark I decided to try to learn a little bit of Danish. Needless to say, Danish is a very hard language to learn – but as hard as it was, I was so excited. As I studied I continued to come across a certain word that intrigued me – hygge. The dictionary said “comfort”, but I just knew there was something more to ‘hygge.’ I asked Susan about this word to see if she could explain it to me. She said something to the effect of, “It’s hard to describe and there is not really a good English word for it.” Anyway, I continued on with my preparations not thinking much more about hygge.

After nearly 24 hours of travel I finally arrived in Copenhagen. The minute I arrived I knew something was different about Denmark – but I just could not put my finger on it. I felt so excited, but relaxed at the same time. Can that happen? For 10 days I had an amazing time seeing the sites, taking hundreds of pictures and spending time with my friend. We even got to hang out with her friends and family and that’s when it hit me – that word, ‘hygge.’ I could feel it! I could feel hygge and it was the most amazing thing in the world! I felt togetherness, love, and comfort. I felt a part of something very important - this family from across the globe was accepting me as one of their own. The whole trip I had been feeling hygge – from so many loving Danes. See, I went to Denmark to visit my best friend and I found hygge. It’s friendship, it’s fellowship, it’s peace. To me hygge is Denmark!

Karen and Susan in Nyhavn Harbor


Family time – teaching pumpkin carving!


Susan Karen Mette – fun with friends