Ever since Hygge and all it’s glorious cosiness swept into our gloomy, cold winters we’ve been pretty obsessed with the concept. Blogs, Insta accounts and youtubers dedicated to the subject started to build up and soon the bookshops were (and still are) crammed with books on how to get hygge with it.
Of course Hygge wasn’t enough and now we are handed Lagom, the Swedish word for just enough (there’s no actual translation). There are books all about living with lagom and the press are telling us it’s the new hygge.
Well Im not convinced.
While hygge inspires me to brighten up my winters and enhance my life with good food and company, lagom has a dull, finite atmosphere that I would rather avoid. A recent podcast by The Mustards summed it up perfectly so let me point you their way if you’re interested to see what the fuss is about. They demystify it perfectly and as they have both lived in Sweden they are true experts on the subject.
From what I gather, Lagom is a place of balance, of restraint and knowing when you have what you already need. It’s a sort of middle ground. While this is actually quite a good place to be, and a healthy idea to practice (gratitude for where you already are) I dont think it will be replacing Hygge for me. Personally, I like a bit of glogg, a sprinkle of glitter and a fairy light or two, so please excuse me while I go watch a movie with a warm wool blanket and a bowl of homemade popcorn.
What do you think about Lagom?
