If you’ve been anywhere near a bookshop lately, you’ll know that books hailing the Danish concept of hygge are selling like hotcakes.

And when something’s en vogue, we Irish like to think that we somehow have contributed to its creation. Hygge is no different. Here’s our argument for why hygge is kind of totally Irish.

We love piling on the woolly jumpers

You see those snuggly knit jumpers taking over your Instagram feed? We Irish invented them. Fashion icon (and folk singer, but mostly fashion icon) Liam Clancy* made them look very cool back in the day. And was anything cooler than a woolly jumper in family photos taken in the ‘70s?

Trust us, woolly jumpers have never looked bad. You need them in your life. And they save on heating costs. How very hygge of you.

Open fires

Everyone’s favourite lady from the Leaving Certification curriculum, Peig Sayers, loved nothing more than posing for pics beside her lovely open fire. By doing so, she inspired thousands of Irish women to fill their social media feeds with uplifting, colourful images of them also relaxing beside the fireplace. As Peig herself used to say, “#bliss”!

And does anything say cosy hygge quite like fireplaces? We think not.

Hot drinks – the tipple is your choice!

Hot drinks are crucial to achieving the hygge vibe and that’s no problem to us Irish. Statistics prove that Irish people drink an average of 27 cups of tea a day. Not including Daniel O’Donnell*, who sent shockwaves throughout Ireland when he revealed that he doesn’t drink tea or coffee.

We document everything (that’s what local villages are renowned for)

Whether it’s news about who won a prize in the parish lotto or what day Eoin McLove is coming to visit, Irish people can often be partial to gossip. And gossiping has been made easier than ever thanks to social media.

While the hygge trend is all about disconnecting and being at one… Let’s face it, it doesn’t really feel as good if you’re not going to post your cutesy cosiness on social media for others to marvel at.

Texture: woollen, tweed, stone walls

Hygge isn’t the kind of trend that lends itself to modern, shiny surroundings. It’s all about warmth, texture and character. AKA tweed flat caps and stone walls. So Irish.

We’re a bit laid back, aren’t we?

Despite the rising levels of people suffering with stress and anxiety, traditionally Ireland has been a place of calm. Our easy-going disposition is world-famous and something we should be proud of. It’s hygge without even knowing what hygge is.

We don’t throw things out, but yet nothing is “too much”…

“It’s a sin to waste it!” is what mammies all over the country drilled into our heads. As a result, we tend not to be very minimalistic. Instead, we have “homely” and “cosy” homes.

Hue-ay-gge

At first, nobody knows how to pronounce the word “hygge”, which is fine by us since a lot of us already pronounce the word “huge” a number of different ways, depending on what part the country we hail from. We reckon the two words have the potential to sound the same.

Occasionally we’re a little behind the times

While we were even writing this article, the trend has already changed. Lagom is the new hygge. Apparently. But that’s just Murphy’s law.

Looking for a house of your own to fill with the Hygge trend?

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*If we mention celebrities, we're not saying they love us. They secretly might, but it doesn't mean they endorse us.