We’ve heard a lot about the Danish lifestyle concept of hygge for several years now. Comfy blankets and woolens, warming hot chocolate and apple cider, candles and a blazing fire, low key games with friends and family. Norway’s friluftsliv, by comparison, embraces a love of the outdoors, enjoying cold winter days outside in the fresh air, no matter what.
But what about the other Nordic countries? What about Finland, the Nordic country with the darkest winters of the bunch. In the middle of winter, it’s not unusual for the day to dawn around noon, followed by a few hours of light. In Lapland, in Finland’s far North, the sun stays below the horizon for the whole of December until mid-January.
Finland has a concept similar to hygge called kalsarikännit. Otherwise known as “päntsdrunk,” which is easier to pronounce.
The Finnish government explains päntsdrunk on its website: A drink. At home. In your underwear. The government even created emojis to represent katsarikännit.
Emojis created by the Finland Promotion Board to express kalsarikännit, or päntsdrunk, from a collection of 56 tongue-in-cheek emotions created to explain some hard-to-describe Finnish emotions and Finnish words and customs.
How does kalsarikännit differ from hygge?
Unlike hygge’s focus on cozy social gatherings or wholesome relaxation, kalsarikännit emphasizes personal downtime, indulgence, and self-care in a humorous and honest way.
Hygge emphasizes creating a warm, inviting, and aesthetically pleasing environment with candles, blankets, and shared moments, often with friends or family. Hygge also includes communal activities like sharing meals, playing games, or crafting.
Kalsarikänni, by contrast, is raw and unpolished. Practicality is prioritized over aesthetics. It involves relaxing alone in comfortable clothing (like underwear) without concern for appearances. Kalsarikänni focuses on solitude and self-indulgence, typically involving drinking alcohol at home while doing whatever feels personally enjoyable, free from societal expectations.
Do they really just wear underwear?
The answer is yes.
Finns typically wear their most comfortable underwear—the oldest, threadbare, etc. The emphasis is on comfort and relaxation rather than style or appearance. The term can be stretched to include loungewear. For women, we assume, it also means tossing the underwire bra for a t-shirt bra, or just an undershirt.
But, but don’t they get cold?
After all, the typical mid-winter temperature in Finland is around 23° F (-5° C), and as low as 6.8°F in Lapland.
Not surprisingly, Finns thought of that.
First, Finns may sit around in their underwear in winter, but they do so in well-heated homes, where indoor temperatures are comfortably warm.
While the name “päntsdrunk” suggests getting drunk in your pants, any comfortable clothing, like soft loungewear or pajamas or loungewear (like these) is acceptable. We can get on board with that. Essentially, wear whatever you want that provides warmth without sacrificing comfort and isn’t a slave to style.
They may add some layers, such as warm socks or a cozy blanket, to keep warm while still enjoying the comfort of being in their underwear.
What else does one do for kalsarikännit?
Nothing, Or practically nothing.
According to Miska Rantanen , author of Päntsdrunk: (Kalsarikanni) The Finnish Path to Relaxation, this is what you do:
- Peel off your clothes down to your underwear.
- Place savory or sweet snacks within reach alongside your bed or sofa.
- Make sure your television remote control is nearby along with any and all devices to access social media.
- Open your preferred alcohol.
Your journey toward inner strength, higher quality of life, and peace of mind has begun.
Looking for your inner Finn-woman?
Much of what is written about aging emphasizes the importance of social interaction to our well-being. But there is emerging evidence that periods of time spent alone are equally important.
A study by the British Psychological Society found that older adults are adept at self-regulating between time being social and spending time alone. One excites and energizes, the other recharges our energy until once again we desire to be sociable. It only becomes a concern when solitude turns to depression.
In this light, päntsdrunk makes a lot of sense. But with our own twist.
- Sprawl about in your underwear if you wish. Or toss that bra and put on some old comfy knits, mismatched or not. You’re alone. Do as you please. This can be surprisingly liberating.
- Watch a good movie on TV or binge-watch a series on Netflix, or indulge in an hour of WWE–we’re not judging. Just stay away from the news. As long as you’re wearing comfy knits, you’re halfway to relaxed.
- Have a few snacks on hand. They can be indulgent or spare, it’s your choice. No societal expectations, but no need to throw your health out the door either. Popcorn is a favorite. So are nuts and chocolate.
- Finns’ favorite alcoholic drinks are beers, ales, and wine. So to be true to päntsdrunking pop the cap on an IPA, or pour yourself a nice well-rounded Chardonnay or Cotes-du-Rhone, or mix a martini, with Finlandia vodka, of course. Nothing complicated. If you think you’re past the päntsdrunk stage of life a nice cup of tea will do.
- Turn off your phone. Recharge.
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