I posted a couple of hygge books on my Instagram Stories a couple of weeks ago and have gotten a lot of questions about them. I'm here to tell you that those aren't even my books, but that I do have my full cozy attention on the fine concept of hygge.

What is 'hygge' (hooga), you ask? 

First of all, it's on Oxford Dictionary's shortlist of the 2016 Word of the Year. There are books on the subject, with more on the way. Lifehacker's touting it as a way to beat the winter blues. The New York Times says Marie Kondo's 15 minutes is up because of it. The New Yorker has even declared this the year of hygge.

It's a Danish way of life that's caught on like wildfire in Britain and is now making its way stateside. There's no direct English translation for hygge, but experts agree it can be best described as "the art of living cozy."

Listen, the Danish are routinely rated among the happiest people on this planet, so if hygge is working for them, it sure as hell can work for me. I mean, it's not hard to own a lifestyle that embraces candles, wooly socks, pastries, good books, and spending quality time with people you care about. Look at Spike, for example.

Without even knowing it, Spike is the king of hygge. He sleeps and cuddles with abandon. He is never short of loving gazes and is always down to be hugged (okay, pet.) He loves candles because that means mom is chillin in the house for awhile. He loves blankets because warmth is the best. Bulldogs are built for a life of hygge and Spike has risen to the occasion. 

In a year where we're seeing the most unfit, horrible person become the leader of this incredible country - and bringing along the most vile kinds of people along with him - it's essential that we fight for what we believe in, and often. It's going to be an ongoing mission, and we're going to get tired a lot. Balancing that work and passion will take a lot of self-care and downtime.

What better way to do that then to practice hygge?

To a year of living cozy!