What is Koselig? It is one of my favorite Norwegian words. It was also one of the first Norwegain words I learned to speak, of course my first Norwegian word I learned was salg (sale) followed closely by hei (hi) and brød (bread). I have my priorities in order.
But once I learned koselig, I fell in love with what it meant since there isn’t a direct translation to English. It is like the best parts of cozy, turned into an experience. Think sitting by the fireplace, wrapped in a big soft blanket, with fuzzy socks, while drinking something warm, and candles are burning, and you’re having the best conversation with a friend that brings you joy, and an apple pie is baking in the oven. That is koselig
My favorite ways that things are naturally koselig in Norway
1. Restaurants use real candles and often times they are long tapered ones. This is nearly unheard of in America. At least where I am from. Everything is protected by glass, or better yet, battery operated candles for safety. Having lunch or dinner out surrounded by candle light is both romantic and cozy. It sets the stage for a comforting meal and comforting conversation.
2. Some of the restaurants have cozy outside fireplaces or wood burning stoves. And soft blankets both inside and outside to wrap up in if you get chilly. I mean, really. Who would ever want to leave that moment?
3. Many of the shops and boutiques have complimentary coffee, tea, and cookies to enjoy while looking around. That makes me feel welcome and that it is okay to rest and take my time. Even when we went to Tromsø, we visited an art museum that had complimentary coffee, tea, fruit, and cookies. After wandering the galleries we sat down on a couch, and enjoyed hot tea and cookies.
4. Phones are left off the table more often. The only time I see phones out in public spaces such as cafes and restaurants, they are being held by a tourist. Granted, I live in a fairly small village so this could be biased to where I am, but I have noticed that when people are together they are genuinely together, which enriches your time together, which feels more koselig
So naturally, I have leaned into this feeling while living in northern Norway during polar night.
My favorite ways to create the feeling at home
1. Light candles. Also making the number one spot here because candlelight just adds that extra oomph and presence in your home. It is warm, inviting, and well… cozy.
2. Treat yourself. The lifestyle in Norway is definitely an active one, with all of the amazing hikes to take and mountains to conquer, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy the sweeter things in life, literally. Norway has some of the best (if not the best) chocolate I have ever had in my life. We sent boxes of it home for Christmas and it was a huge hit. Norwegians love their sweets sweet and their salty snacks salty. No matter your preference, enjoying your favorite treat, or a little of both, can create that koselig feeling.
3. Pour into a hobby. I have found that reading, writing, knitting, and painting all make me feel koselig. Snuggled under a warm blanket, next to candlelight, right after a brisk hike and your favorite snack doing your favorite hobby for having a hobby’s sake (more about that soon), is koselig.
4. Put on my favorite sounds for background noise when I am doing just about anything else. Sometimes it is music, and sometimes it is the fireplace show on Netflix (don’t judge me) because it creates the perfect white noise of a fire burning. If I had a real fireplace, even better!
Hopefully that helped answer your question of “What is Koselig” and now I want to know what makes you feel koselig?
xo Kelly
Sitting on my couch with a hot cup of coffee, a good book, a warm blanket, and my snuggly dogs. 😊
That sounds perfect!
I’ve got it! Doing a puzzle while enjoying a hot cup of tea and some cookies. Ideally, it would be snowing outside. And, I’d have some music playing. (In this dream scenario, I might even have a furry friend sitting at my feet – a dog, preferably, but I am not fussy when it comes to pets). But the tea and cookies are essential to making it koselig. Pretty much doing anything with tea and cookies, really, could potentially be koselig, but the idea of doing puzzles as being koselig came to me as I was writing up an article for National Puzzle Day. The more I thought about it, it really fit the bill. Thanks for the new word and concept – it is weird how some cultures/languages have words for things that others do not!
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