Coorie, The Scottish Form Of Slowing down.

From my earliest memories, I have known how to create warm, cozy spaces. My Mum would always let me build forts out of sheets, and use plants, lamps, blankets, cushions- whatever I needed to make my little “hut” homely. If it was cold and windy outside, my Mum would have me snuggled up on her lap under a blanket, and would always say (in her Scottish accent) “mon Hen, coorie doon. Cuddle in”. It’s one of my fondest memories.
These times were my first interactions with “Coorie”.

If you’ve never heard of Coorie before, let me explain…Coorie is the Scottish version of Hygge…It means ‘snuggle’ or ‘cuddle’, and more than that, it has taken on even more. It means slowing down, but, it’s not only about making the insides cozy; it’s about making life in general cozy.

Ive spoken about Coorie before, or Còsagach (Gaelic) and how it works with our family home. The term Coorie has been used in Scotland for a super long time. The easiest way to explain it would be to think of a beautiful warm, comforting, safe hug- that’s Coorie!

Cosagach is more about the insides, like Hygge, and coorie is about indoors and outdoors.
However, like I said, it’s not just about making your home warm, cozy and inviting. It’s about slowing down your life, giving more meaning to your home, and family, rather than your work life. Respecting traditions, and bringing more peace to our busy lives. It’s making you embrace what’s really around you…the most important things. During the Covid pandemic, its become even more important, and many have realised how little they actually need to be happy.

The smallest things can bring coorie into your life. It’s about embracing the outdoors as much as the indoors. Taking a blanket outside on a cold day to the fire pit with a hot cup of tea, and your favourite people. Going for a hike with a hot thermos of soup to sit and enjoy the views; collecting leaves and stones along the way to remember the day. Even a simple drive through the countryside can bring coorie to your life.

That slowness in life we’ve had during the pandemic, has been the perfect time to see if coorie is for you. For us it has involved slow mornings, where we aren’t all running around frantic. Taking joy in the mundane things like hanging out sheets on the close line, and that ‘fresh sheet feeling’ it brings. Planting veggies in the garden, whilst the prunings from the fruit trees crackle away in a small fire. Going for an early morning walk while the morning mist lifts to reveal the countryside. Waiting for dough to rise, ready to bake the days loaf of bread. Just taking joy in home, and the people in it.

from our trip back to Glencoe in the Scottish highlands
coorie in under loads of blankets on a cold night
decorating your home with layers of things you hold dear

Decorating with cosagagh, and coorie for me, is bringing lots of natural layers, pieces from family, or antique and vintage pieces, and lots of things you hold dear. On this dresser that my husband, Mic, and I saved and restored, is photos of my parents, grandparents, great grandparents, our boys and us. There are pieces I’ve collected from Scotland like my favourite Scottish stoneware bottles, my own handmade ceramic pieces, items we were given on our wedding day, and little things our boys have found out in nature. All very special to us.

To think all those years ago, my dear Mum was instilling such a beautiful part of our Scottish culture in me, that has shaped my home life, relationships, my business, and my creativity with such a simple sentence -“mon hen, coorie doon. Cuddle in”, has been an amazing gift that has especially helped us through this pandemic. We grabbed the slow living by the horns, and I don’t think I will ever let it go now.

~ Ness xx

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Comments (5)

  • Just love the sound of it all Ness x

    Reply
    • Thank you xx

      Reply
  • I loved this article. Absolutely beautiful ❤️

    Reply
  • How refreshing to read your article. Just founded through my browsing on the web and love to keep reading your blogs.
    I needed this so much today! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Thank you Nancy xx

      Reply

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