I spoke a little bit about my
Faster Jonna the other day and crediting her with her wonderful sense of
“hygge”. For those having lived under a bushel these past few years “hygge” has
been celebrated in a number of books and discussions perhaps in a hope to
enlighten the world about why Danes are amongst the happiest people in the
world. Certainly I have mentioned this feeling of coziness in my blogs before
but I’d like to tell you about my darling aunt.
She could make an ordinary day
into something special by simply setting a lovely little coffee table, a
breakfast treat or a full on supper. First of all she had collected over the
years a lot of little treasures, small vases, candlestick holders, crocheted
egg warmers (made by my mother) and other little and large decorative things to
set on the table. She always set her coffee table with true cup, saucer and
sandwich or cake plate. I don’t believe she even owned a mug!
However all of this was merely a
setting and to hygge you don’t really need to set a scene but that was Faster
Jonna’s charm. The real sense of hygge comes from the down-home hospitality
that one can exude without even trying. As I reflect more on my aunt’s charm I
also feel very strongly that her sense of joy in life was a contributing factor
in making any visit to her home or her table so hyggelig. She was always
laughing, opening her arms wide as guests entered her home and one simply felt
welcome immediately.
She was such a darling
inspiration for me and I miss her very dearly. It was her birthday this week
and I have been thinking about one memorable one we celebrated together as we
walked along Bispensgade in Aalbørg on Beaujolais Night (her birthday). There
were live lights everywhere (torches), wine glasses and open air seating (the
first I had ever seen) and simply crowds of people having the best time. We
walked arm in arm while Onkle Verner and Axel walked beside us, behind us, in
front of us, as we laughed, giggled and just enjoyed ourselves in the simple revelry
of the event.
Happy Birthday Faster Jonna!
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