YORKTON - The concept of the Hygge is growing in Canada, and Saturday the Western Development Museum branch in Yorkton embraced that.
The branch hosted an ‘Art of the Hygge’ afternoon featuring candle-making, dala horse colouring, woven paper hearts, a gnome craft, a bookmark weaving craft, cozy reading corner, wool carding demonstration, scavenger hunt, Scandinavian-themed crafts, and refreshments.
For those unfamiliar with Hygge, the Oxford dictionary defines it as “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture).”
Meanwhile Wikipedia expands on that, noting “Hygge is a word in Danish and Norwegian that describes a cozy, contented mood evoked by comfort and conviviality. As a cultural category with its sets of associated practices hygge has more or less the same meaning in both places and in both languages; however, the emphasis on hygge as a core part of Danish culture is a recent phenomenon, dating to the late 20th century.
“In the 21st century, the concept has also been familiarized abroad.”
Emma Holowatiuk, program and volunteer co-ordinator at the branch said the activities were all designed with the idea of setting the right mood.
“They help you create a relaxing atmosphere,” she said adding the whole idea of hygge is to bring a bit more relaxation and joy “into life in the winter.”
Central to that is often candles which help set the mood of hygge.
Holowatiuk said candles very much “provide the atmosphere” on hygge.
So making candles was a popular activity Saturday.
Those taking part dipped cord repeatedly into hot bees wax, slowly creating a candle Holowatiuk estimated would burn 30-60-minutes.
Candle making was also a good fit for the museum in the sense it was something pioneers would have done, added Holowatiuk. She added the pioneers often used tallow or animal fat in their candles, but “beeswax smells better.”
Upcoming at the local branch is Spring Awakening Day Camp set for Friday, April 5. The day camp is for children ages six to nine, and will feature nature and outdoors-themed games, crafts and hands-on activities.
