21 years.
It's been 21 years since I packed up all my worldly goods in the sunny inner city of Phoenix, Arizona to follow love all the way to a sleepy little town in central Minnesota. Twenty-one years of speaking the language of the midwest until it sounds like my native tongue. (Hotdish, anyone?) And thanks to my Scandi husband who is a handsome blend of Danish and Norwegian, it's been twenty-one years of learning the way of hygge [HYOO-guh].
It's been 21 years since I packed up all my worldly goods in the sunny inner city of Phoenix, Arizona to follow love all the way to a sleepy little town in central Minnesota. Twenty-one years of speaking the language of the midwest until it sounds like my native tongue. (Hotdish, anyone?) And thanks to my Scandi husband who is a handsome blend of Danish and Norwegian, it's been twenty-one years of learning the way of hygge [HYOO-guh].
I realize that twenty-one years doesn't seem like a long enough time to become an expert at a Danish lifestyle that has been around since the late 19th century, especially since I'm not even a little bit Scandinavian. Hygge doesn't come to me by way of birthright, it's true. But, since I'm 42, it's cocooned me in all its layers for literally half my life. As an outsider, I've learned how to hygge which means I know that you can too!
What is hygge, you ask?
I wish I could scribble out a concise little definition for you; one which wraps up hygge in a neat American package.
But the truth is, hygge is hard to translate. There's no English word for it. It's not so much a "thing" as it is a feeling...a concept...a lifestyle.
In its most uncomplicated terms, hygge is the Scandinavian practice of enjoying life's simple pleasures surrounded by friends, family, and often food. It has ties to comfort and consolation. It’s a way of making the mundane and necessary more meaningful and beautiful.
Hygge appeals to our desire for slow living and shared moments. It embraces relationships and hospitality. It’s warm and inviting. Hygge is the opposite of hustle. It eschews overabundance. Hygge is home.
It's no wonder then that the Danish people have landed in one of the top two spots on the European Commission's well-being and happiness index for the past 40 years. It's no wonder that has Target curated an entire line of hygge products, that HGTV has featured hygge as a design aesthetic for a season of Urban Oasis, or that hygge has been hashtagged 8.5 million times on Instagram. It's a trending topic for good reason.
In the past twenty-one years, though, I've come to see hygge for what it truly is: the world's way of creating sanctuary. It's a recreation of the Garden--an attempt at the perfect Genesis blend of hospitality, relational connection, well-being, beautiful atmosphere, comfort, contentment, and rest. It's a mirror of the abundant life in Christ.
Trouble is, without Jesus, hygge is just mere veneer. It's a counterfeit of the life-giving promise of heaven.
But, what if we could combine the outward help of hygge with the inward hope of Jesus?
Hygge at Home
As women, you and I were made to give life, and we can do that right in our own homes! Our homes can give others a real picture of the Gospel. When folks step through our doors, they see our deep raw needs and our ugliness, but they can also see the love of Christ lived out even in the midst of our brokenness. When we invite others in, it’s an opportunity to point the homeless to a true and lasting home, Jesus!
In my new book, Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow, I’ve united this popular Danish liturgy with the deep, theological truths of the gospel in order that you can steward your home for God’s glory.
The world is ripe for the comfort of real sanctuary. And while reshaping an atmosphere can never permanently reshape a heart, it can help, especially when paired with the hope of Jesus.
Hygge and You
Holy Hygge is currently available for pre-order wherever books are sold. And what's more, when you pre-order before September 6th, you can snag Holy Hygge All Year Long, a free bonus companion guide filled with practical ideas to show you how to pair the outward help of hygge with the inward hope of Jesus so that you can make Kingdom connections with your family, friends, and neighbors for the next twelve months.
Why pre-order? Aside from the fun bonus you'll get, you'll also...
Be guaranteed a lower price
You don't ever get charged for a book until the day it releases regardless of when you pre-ordered it. That said, many retailers drastically reduce the price of pre-published books prior to their launch as a way to generate buzz around certain titles. If you pre-order early, you have more of a chance of snagging the lowest price. Your "clock" starts when you pre-order and ends on launch day. So, if you pre-order two days before the launch and the lowest price happened a month before.
Spread the word
When you pre-order a book from any online or brick-and-mortar retailer, you generate buzz about the book within the industry at large, encouraging other smaller retailers, libraries, and indie bookstores to purchase copies of it for their stock. According to the latest research, 2700 new books come out each day. That's a lot of titles for book distributors to choose from. But, if certain titles get pre-ordered more than others, distributors take notice and toss all their buying power and marketing dollars at those books. So, for around $15 you can really move the needle on the success of a book and ultimately an author's career.
In addition, it also propels the topic into popularity. When one book becomes popular, more and more writers clamor to write books about that same topic. (On a personal note, I can't think of a better topic I'd like to see more books about than the Gospel and our command to love God and love others. Imagine the world-change that would happen if we were to flood the book market with the message of Jesus!)
In addition, it also propels the topic into popularity. When one book becomes popular, more and more writers clamor to write books about that same topic. (On a personal note, I can't think of a better topic I'd like to see more books about than the Gospel and our command to love God and love others. Imagine the world-change that would happen if we were to flood the book market with the message of Jesus!)
Before God made humanity, he made a home for them. He built a sacred place and I think you and I can do the same. Let me show you how to nurture a home that reflects the One whose Spirit is making a home in you. Head to jamieerickson.com to learn more about Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow, to read the first chapter for free, or to find out how you can get the bonus companion Holy Hygge All Year Long.
I am so excited about this book! I love Hygge, but I have always felt that it was the world's way of trying to create what is only truly found in Christ. I can't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for you to read it. It sounds like we share similar opinions about hygge.
DeleteI too, have loved the concept of Hygge and was so excited to see you have written a book. I have pre-ordered a copy and am so looking forward to reading it!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it. Thanks for pre-ordering!
DeleteI just picked up your book at the true woman conference. My family is Swedish and the things that I've read about hygge are common in all Scandinavian countries. My Swedish grandmothers and my mother taught me all the same concepts but didn't have a name for it. It's just a way of life. It's about creating a cozy warm and welcoming home. I'm excited to read your book. I love the title of rosaria Butterfield's book, the gospel comes with a house key. I think these two books are going to be a must read for all homemakers. Excited to start reading. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI heard it was a great conference and that there was even a fun hygge game in the vendor shop. I hope you enjoy the book and that it gives you some good ideas for nurturing a home that leads to life.
DeleteI just received a copy of your book. Is there a way I can get still get the free companion book Holy Hygge all year long? Thx!!!
ReplyDeleteI just read the introduction, and felt so compelled to add an agreement. Hygge, having so many faceted meanings is so very similar to Shabbat - Rest, but not just rest. The knowledge that you are held in the Lord's hand and nothing can pluck you out. Knowing that you are a lamb who is led by still waters and fed in green pastures. Knowing that the Lord is our Shabbat. It isn't a foreign concept to Christianity at all, just another language.
ReplyDelete