Kos – a Norwegian concept meaning ‘cosiness’ – encompasses everything you need to get through the colder months and embrace simple and inexpensive pleasures in the year ahead.

“Cosiness might conjure up images of candles, blankets and fairy lights, but kos is so much more than an aesthetic, and it comes with a long history,” says wellbeing expert and founder of Juno, Ally Fekaiki.

“Kos was originally used to describe moments of safety and security in the midst of the harsh and unforgiving Norwegian winters. For modern Norwegians, the concept has evolved to describe all kinds of small pleasures that come with going back to basics and rediscovering nature.”

Fekaiki says this might mean listening to the crunch of frost underfoot in the park or noticing the sunlight streaming through the train window on your daily commute. Whatever the simple pleasure is, kos is about finding warmth and comfort in these everyday moments – and it’s a mindset that could serve us well in 2024.

“Whether you find kos in a meaningful conversation with a friend or the aroma of a coffee shop, or simply by reading in bed, kos is for everyone, and it’s best kept simple,” she says.

Why the Nordic concepts of ‘kos’ and ‘lagom’ could be the key to getting through winter