WITH the nights fair drawing in, it is time to get a little bit of "hygge" in all of our lives. The Danish word, pronounced "hue-gah", is typically translated into English as "cosiness".
Yet, there is far more to it: the essence of hygge is about being good to yourself, indulging a little and enjoying the small, simple pleasures in life. In Denmark, this is an enduring sage mind-set rather than a passing self-help fad.
Hygge is snuggling by the fire on a chilly winter evening, watching box-sets under a duvet or curling up on the sofa with a good book and mug of hot chocolate. It is social gatherings with family and friends, long walks in the countryside, woolly jumpers and cashmere socks – not to forget copious twinkling candles to brighten gloomy nights.
With Denmark up there in the top three of the 2015 World Happiness Report despite its long, dark and cold winters, they must be doing something right. Scandinavian neighbours Norway and Sweden and Nordic cousins Finland and Iceland also have their own equivalents of hygge.
I suffer terribly from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD as it is known. I have tried various remedies over the years from special lamps to double dosing myself with vitamin D supplements. Then, a couple of winters back, I discovered hygge.
This autumn I have already spent a small fortune stocking up on gorgeous candles for the months ahead. That may sound excessive, but I care not a jot. I intend to be kind to myself.
I also bought a comfy pair of wool slippers. I have filled the cupboards with ingredients for home-baking and queued a raft of feel-good films and TV dramas on Netflix.
Rather, than feel downbeat about the shortening days and diminishing hours of sunlight, I'm embracing the changing of the seasons. I can highly recommend it.
AFTER a 13 year hiatus, the Milk Tray man is back as Cadbury launches the search for his successor – and this time around there is every chance the black polo neck-wearing icon could be a woman.
The recruitment ad fronted by James Coombes – a Milk Tray man who debuted back in the 1980s – was screened for the first time last night with the application process open to all.
Given times have changed since the first advert in 1968, the criteria requires a sense of adventure and daring combined with the understanding that "gestures of romance, friendship and even kindness can take many forms".
Which means shimmying up a drainpipe to anonymously deliver a box of chocs is out.
I reckon it should be a woman. I would love to see a strong, female role model jumping from helicopters, skiing over cliffs and abseiling across our screens. That goes ditto for the new James Bond.
But back to chocolate … Unfortunately this lady no longer loves Milk Tray. There's been too much meddling in recent years.
My long-time beloved caramel charm has been re-formulated to a poncy sounding "salted caramel", while the nutty heart has been usurped by a truffle version. Even the now PC-named "exotic delight" – while never a first choice – has been recently banished in favour of an "apple crunch".
Ideally the new Milk Tray hero or heroine would do less international jet-setting and a bit more rolling up of the sleeves to lobby for old favourites to be reinstated. The campaign starts here.
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