#1
#2
rogue_ger replied:
Same every time I go to Germany I’m shocked at the quality of the news reporting compared to the US. Germany has strict laws for content of news reporting and it makes for actual facts being communicated and not just tailored content meant to push an agenda.
The US desperately needs to regulate news media in all forms, including social media.
#3
The people most impressed by it are usually the ones who understand its cultural meaning. But even beyond that, I love how sincere it feels — like the thanks are truly coming from the heart, which, in most cases, they are.
One of the habits mentioned by Redditors was ‘hygge’ (pronounced hooga), a Danish and Norwegian concept, which loosely translates to feeling cozy or comfortable. The feeling is created through making your physical environment as cozy and comforting as possible by lighting candles, snuggling with soft blankets, and sipping warm, soothing drinks.
But ‘hygge’ is more than just physical things. It’s also a mindset and a philosophy. “It is about being with the people we love; a feeling that we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and are allowing ourselves to let our guard down,” said Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute and the author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living.
#4
I'm not the most active person so it took some adjusting, but now I bike to work every day (except in the winter, I'm too much of a baby for that lol). It's very satisfying zooming past all the backed up traffic when I leave work at 4pm!
So yeah, shoutout to the Dutch and their cute bikes with cute baskets full of flowers for giving me a little push because now I love my bike.
#5
Disraeli_Ears replied:
After my husband and I went to Denmark together, we immediately changed to two comforters at home. No more yanking the blankets off each other in the middle of the night. It's almost better than couples' therapy - LOL.
This concept originated in Scandinavian countries to survive the cold, gloomy, and long winter months more easily, but it can be adopted by anyone, anywhere, anytime when they face stress or negativity. It might be the reason why Denmark consistently ranks among the happiest places on Earth alongside Finland and Norway.
#7
I realized people don’t do that as frequently at home and I’ve set out to change that.
I live in an extremely multicultural area and I want people to know they’re welcome here. I now always say hello, smile and make eye contact with every single person I encounter while walking or out in public. It is generally, like 95% of the received with a smile and greeting or at least a head nod!
#8
Anyway, that night was the first time I went out alone to have drinks and socialize. I've always met up with friends or gone out with friends before. I had the best time alone. I realized when I was with my friend, we were kind of discussing America stuff, and it was mostly about being a cool friend and accommodating him. That night, I met people from Australia, then talked to some bartenders all night. Then sang with a Filipino band at a hotel. It was probably the most memorable night of the trip.
When I got back home, I kept going out alone. I realized it was liberating. If there was nothing to do, I would just go out solo.
maulsma replied:
I went backpacking around Europe by myself for three months when I was 30 in the mid-nineties. Fantastic experience. As a woman I was very fortunate to have only a few bad interactions with aggressive men, and spent a lot of time hanging out with people from all over. I’d travel a few days with these Australians, a few days with these Swedes, go dancing with some Americans, shopping with a French woman, rent motorbikes in Greece with a big group of various nationalities, talk to locals on the buses and trains. Totally different experience travelling with my SO and friends.
#9
I don’t care if it’s just the placebo effect, I love having a happy tummy.
For Scandinavian people, ‘hygge’ is nothing new. With the meaning it has today, it dates back to 1800. Around 2016, the concept took further, and that year, the New Yorker reported it as the ‘year of the hygge.’
To experience the magic of ‘hygge,’ people opt for mood lighting—dimming the lights, lighting some candles, or making a fire in the fireplace. They make themselves comfortable by adding blankets and pillows and wearing comfy clothes and thick socks that keep their feet warm.
But most importantly, they hang out with a circle of close friends. “The most important social relationships are close relationships in which you experience things together with others and experience being understood; where you share thoughts and feelings; and both give and receive support,” Wiking explains. This togetherness is the essence of ‘hygge.’
#10
#11
FlushTwiceBeNice replied:
And the smell. Only if someone can bottle old book smell and sell it as a perfume.
#12
Muffin278 replied:
I am Danish, and I always felt like hygge is in part our way of dealing with the dark Danish winters where we get maybe 6 hours of sunlight but obscured by the sun. Warm lighting, cozy blankets, and candles are a way to embrace the terrible winters. It is one of the reasons Christmas feels so special to me despite being a non-religious adult.
In addition to all of this, people tend to make their bed as cozy and comfy as possible and enjoy delicious food and drinks like sweets, cakes, hot chocolate, and mulled wine.
Lastly, when the environment is cozy, warm, and comfortable, and the belly is filled with tasty treats, people practice mindfulness and gratitude by turning off digital devices and enjoying the present moment by enjoying a book or a board game with family and friends. It’s all about getting a break and feeling joy and contentment.
“It is about experiencing happiness in simple pleasures and knowing that everything is going to be okay,” Wiking concluded.
#14
nineties_adventure replied:
That is beautiful. In Türkiye, when you for instance have to throw away food you "kiss it" before throwing it out (not really kissing but more moving it from your chin to your forehead) to respect what God has given one. The same goes for when dropping bread. After you pick it up you "kiss" it (again not actually). Bread is sacred. I think this shows a lot of respect. I still do this in The Netherlands.
#15
I am from India and learnt this from my trip to Europe.
#16
#17
missmeganbee replied:
After returning from Italy I started using a table cloth, lighting candles and a little table lamp, and playing background music during a meal. It makes it feel special!
#18
#19
hohomei replied:
awww yes im glad chopsticks are getting the recognition it deserves when it comes to not just eating but other uses! im from hong kong and grew up always cooking with chopsticks. you can stir, you can pick out individual ingredients, you can flip over things in the frying pan.. its amazing!
not sure if you know about this already but we have some extra long chopsticks that we use for cooking only! very helpful for staying farther away from the potential oil sizzling out!
