It’s time to cosy up and fall in love with fall! From teolaí to cwtch, here are some of our favourite lifestyle concepts that will get us in the autumn mindset in minutes. Blankets at the ready…!
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I’m always a bit sad at the end of the summer when cool weather sets in, and we start to feel autumn approaching, but then I remind myself what I love about autumn – the colours of the leaves, crisp walks, frosty mornings, and cosying up.
The simple pleasures are often the most enjoyable – a big mug of tea, a slice of cake and friends to chat to, for example. This is where the Danish concept of Hygge (pronounced ‘hoo-ga’) came from, enjoying the simplicity. This all-encompassing term sums up ‘cosy contentment’ – think roaring fires, knitwear, blankets, furry slippers, hot chocolate and all those other comfy, cosy delights.
And while many of us have heard of Hygge, here are a few more terms from around the world that will give you a decidedly cosy Autumn feeling.
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Còsagach (kaw-sa-goch)
From Scots Gaelic, this is the feeling of being snug, sheltered and warm.
Cwtch (rhymes with ‘butch’)
A Welsh word that means snuggling and cuddling and loving and protecting and safeguarding and claiming, all rolled into one!
Fjaka (Fee-yaka)
The ‘art and enjoyment of doing nothing’ is roughly how this Croatian lifestyle term translates.
Gemütlichkeit (guh-moot-lick-kite)
This traditional German word signifies an atmosphere of relaxation, being at ease, belonging, nice music, good food and drink.
Gezelligheid (geh-zelig-hayd)
A Dutch expression meaning cosy, quaint, nice, but can also mean time spent with loved ones, seeing a friend after a long absence, or general togetherness.
Gigil (like giggle)
A Tagalog word meaning the overwhelming urge to snuggle someone or something.
Gluggaveður (glu-ga-vee-dur)
This Icelandic word is used to describe ‘window weather’. In other words, weather that is nice to look out at from the comfort of inside.
Ikigai (icky-guy)
From Japan, this is a lifestyle concept that centres around the idea of ‘living your best life’. It encourages simplicity and flow and that homes should only have items that have special meaning to the homeowner.
Lagom (lah-gum)
A Swedish word used to describe balance in the context of things like ‘not too little, not too much’, ‘everything in moderation’, ‘less is more’, or event appropriateness in social settings.
Mysig (mee-sig)
This describes anything with a relaxing vibe, e.g. a warm living room on a cold evening, with flickering candles, a roaring fire, and a couch to snuggle up and put your feet up on.
Peiskos (peis-kos)
A Norwegian word for ‘fireplace cosiness’, the feeling you get from sitting in front of the warmth of a fire.
Teolaí (cho-lee)
The Irish word for cosy, nothing epitomises this more than the idea of the snug in the pub.
Wabi-sabi (wabbysabby)
The Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature.
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