Is lagom the new hygge?

Last year was a time of woollen socks, roaring fires and harbouring a generally cosy vibe around the house. It was, simply, the year of hygge, the Danish lifestyle philosophy.

Although it was one of Collins Dictionary's words of the year for 2016, hygge, pronounced "hooga", has no direct English translation, but it means something on the lines of creating cosiness. The Danish Tourist Board's website says: "In essence, hygge means creating a nice, warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people around you."

But 2017 has seen the spread of a far more minimalist - and far more starkly Swedish - concept: lagom.

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Lagom, pronounced "lar-gohm", is a Scandinavian philosophy that encourages existing through simple means.

According to the Daily Telegraph, "the archetypical Swedish proverb, 'lagom ar bast', literally means, 'the right amount is best', and is often associated with the British proverb 'enough is as good as a feast'."

A lifestyle choice

Basically, it is a philosophy based on stripping back life's excesses and living a more moderate, modest and balanced life.

Other features include frugality, stress reduction, striking the perfect balance between work and play and focusing on environmental concerns and sustainability.

Even Swedish giants IKEA have come on board with the launch of Live Lagom, to teach people "how to make sustainable living easier, more affordable and attractive".

But don't throw away your artisan hot chocolate and block up your chimney just yet: hygge isn't dead.

Kayleigh Tanner, founder of the Hello Hygge blog, says the two philosophies can go alongside each other.

"If you're new to the concepts, it can initially seem as though hygge and lagom cannot co-exist," she says.

"It's easy to believe that hygge is all about overindulgence and gorging yourself on unhealthy treats - the opposite of lagom. But it doesn't have to be at all."

Hygge can be described as a feeling, while lagom is closer to a philosophy, she says: "An example might be if you've invited your friends over for dinner and you're having a fun, relaxed evening, the hygge would be about being content and enjoying your friends' company and the lagom could come in the form of eating just one slice of the cake they brought with them and not gorging yourself just because it's there."

Stripped back

As we head into what is already shaping up to be another turbulent year politically, lagom could be what we all need to find happiness in the simplest of pleasures in 2017.

Elle magazine says you can start by "keeping a note of your finances, consciously reducing your environmental impact on the world – whether it be with the fabrics of new clothes, recycling or energy consumption – and start making an effort to use those 5p shopping bags you've been stuffing in the kitchen cupboards".

May the rest of your year be pleasantly lagom.