Thursday 5 February 2015

Views on hygge and craic

 My goodness, we are all just out of school to discover a world of colour all around us! It is still freezing, baltic, cold, but the blazes of green grass and blue sky and Lough have been enough to make us smile and run out to the garden with a football. Well, two of us ran out to the garden with a football...


My tree is still bare.
Badger de Mourne has warmed up nicely but needed some burrow time to escape the general noise that is our world. We thought that a warm corner of the living room would be best.
 We cleared out the bottom shelf of Aunt Margaret's old dresser.



I have been thinking about this concept of hygge. MK discovered a variety of Scandinavian words that were not just words but expressions but a whole way of life. Hygge seems to belong to a cannon of words that express a way of embracing the cold dark of Winter by snuggling down into cosy comfort with friends, hot drinks and lots of good talk. I don't think we have a specific word for this in Ireland, and I'm going to venture to suggest that this is because we don't counter cold dark Winter in that way. We moan on through and live for opportunities for a bit of "craic". English English speakers will now need to remember that this is not a derivation of drug terminology!

What's the craic? It was great craic. Sure the craic was mighty.  You can Google it and find a wealth of cultural explanation! To me it means fun, a laugh, something happening out of the humdrum. It puts a smile on your face and quite possibly a Guinness in your hand. So Badger will probably not be experiencing the best hygge of his world tour here in Ireland. However, we will try make sure he has a bit of craic! I introduced him to his burrow the other night, and left him there with cosy blankets, a fairy door and some warming beverage. He hasn't wanted to come out yet...




12 comments:

Elderberry-Rob said...

How exciting to know that Badger has made it to your house. I like the idea of this hygge and craic.

Lyndelou said...

Surprised that beverage wasn't Bushmills - and if you are feeding him too .... I'm wondering 'is the bread ormeau'?

Kezzie said...

Awww, I love Badger's den!!!! x

Amy at love made my home said...

Badger seems to have settled in well! xx

Gill - That British Woman said...

lucky badger, but where is your snow...

Angela said...

Is Badger warming his feet in an apple cosy?

Lisa Richards said...

You are seeing to his every need! Much craic to you all! :)

gretchenjoanna said...

Just splendid. I'm glad to hear that the Irish have their own winter coping style and skills. I'll take a bit of craic and a bit of hygge too....

M.K. said...

If I were in that Cozy Cabinet, I wouldn't want to come out either! How darling :) It looks just perfect for him. Shame you can't build him a blazing wood fire in there, and a place to put his feet up in slippers - haha!

Pom Pom said...

I love his cubby! How nice! Well, I did not know about craic! Good to know! Thank you for giving old Mr. Badger some silence and solitude. He's sure to give back lots of hygge in return!

Fat Dormouse said...

Ah sure and begorrah, the craic was good - that's the limit of my Nor'n Irish! Courtesy of my BiL. (Though to be fair, he hardly uses "begorrah". Isn't that more RoIreland?) I love the idea of "craic" - there's no English equivalent I fear, as "fellowship" sounds too religious and "companionship" sounds too prissy. I certainly imagine that craic involves at least a tiny bit of wildness!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Is your snow GONE? Wow, wish mine would leave. I loved hearing craic when I was in Ireland, heard it south and north and even saw a questionable tee shirt.

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