When it comes to helping caregivers relieve stress and find balance (homeostasis) in their lives, Caregiving Club advocates for finding time to practice hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”). This Danish tradition translates into finding cozy contentment, especially during the cold winter months.
Essentially it is the concept of unplugging from the constant noise pollution in our lives – the body’s response to incessant texts, emails, phone calls, social media, traffic, subway sounds, etc. Whether it’s cuddling up in front of a warm fire with warm socks, cocoa and a book or playing a board game with family and friends, hygge is the digital detox all caregivers need. Even if it’s just a quick 20-minute respite, hygge is one of the reasons Denmark always ranks in the Top 3 countries of the global happiness index.
With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, there is no better time than to kick off your hygge plan with the help of a traditional American pastime.
Hygge = Monopoly
Known as one of the most popular board games in the world, Monopoly was originally based on a board game conceived by Elizabeth Magie Phillips known as “The Landlord’s Game” in 1902. Charles Darrow changed the name to “Monopoly” and created the iconic board and original wooden tokens for the car, iron, lantern, thimble, boot, top hat and rocking horse and sold the rights to Parker Bros. in 1935. The rest is history.
Special editions of the game have been created over the years including Disney, Stars Wars, Pokemon, Game of Thrones and Star Trek just to name a few. The Empire edition allows you to buy and sell top brands such as Levis, Puma, Nerf, Transformers and there are international editions such as Monopoly in France. A special 70th anniversary USA version of the game includes tokens for the Statue of Liberty, a baseball glove, a trolley and a cowboy hat and players can own major U.S. cities like Seattle, New York and Denver.
This everlasting favorite game has been played by an estimated
1 billion people in 114 countries since 1935.
Even though there are now apps and electronic editions of this classic game, that defeats the concept of hygge. So, break out the Monopoly over this holiday weekend, gather with friends and family and get warm and cozy!
#NationalPlayMonopolyDay
Copyright ©2018 Sherri Snelling
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