February 28: International Hygge Day

The Danish term “hygge” stands for cosiness, conviviality, contentment and well-being. The ancient Greeks would have associated it with their goddess Hygieia, daughter of medicine god Asklepios. She was the goddess of good health and introduced basic rules of “hygiene”. Her Roman equivalent was Salus (meaning “well being”, hence “salvation”). Hygieia was loved and revered, even if she walked around carrying a giant serpent. Pausanias describes a statue of her that “one cannot see easily because it is so surrounded with the locks of women, who…offer them to the goddess”. Some supplications to her survived: Hygieia, most revered of the blessed ones among mortals, may I dwell with you for what is left of my life … for any other delight,… with you it flourishes… and without you no man is happy." And: “… every house is flourishing and fair, if with rejoicing aspect thou art there… and men without thy all-sustaining ease find nothing useful, nothing formed to please…” Now, this surely sounds like “hygge” to me.

Hygieia, Hydria, British Museum, London, UK

Hygieia, Gustav Klimt, Ceiling of University of Vienna (destroyed)