As the sky begins to darken earlier and earlier, there is a noticeable chill in the air. Your car is covered in a light dusting of frost, the kitchen a little colder when you get up to make your morning coffee and the leaves turn golden, littering your driveway.

The arrival of autumn may make some excited for the return of pumpkin carving, sweet spices stirred into lattes, woollen hats and Halloween outfit planning, but for others, saying goodbye to summer is bittersweet.

Somehow Scotland has enjoy a somewhat decent stint of sunshine, and all those ice creams, beach trips and picnics will soon become a distant memory until next year. What could possibly be exciting about the arrival of autumn?

That would be the notion of hygge. Just around the corner clutching a steaming cup of coffee in gloved hands, the Danish term all about feeling cosy, comfortable and covered in blankets is waiting with a smile. Prepare to glow from within as the phenomenon heads to the UK this autumn.

What exactly is hygge?

Much like schadenfreude (the joy gained from the misfortune of others) or kummerspeck (excess weight gained from emotional eating), there is no direct English translation of the word hygge, although 'cosy' or 'convivial' would be closest.

The term relates to the feeling of happiness when surrounded by close friends and family in a cosy and comfortable atmosphere. Not a lot but a small manageable number - enough to fit comfortably around a coffee table but not so many you're searching for extra blankets to accommodate a hygge-crowd.

It is the joy of a fleece blanket on a sofa so comfortable you melt into it, a new book to sink your nose into, the start of all the American television shows starting their new seasons on Sky or the simple delight found in a cup of tea as a candle flickers away.

There is some discussion as to the correct pronunciation of the word, with most likening it more to hue-geh than hooga, hig or higgy. But considering it is more of a feeling that a translatable term, most people would probably understand what you mean when you explain your plans this autumn revolve around cultivating a hygge lifestyle, no matter the pronunciation.

Why is it becoming popular?

It is the antithesis to summer's clean eating, yoga poses at sunset, bikini body diets and green smoothie instagram obsessions.

Rather, living a Hygge lifestyle is less about what you are seen to be doing, and more about what you aren't doing. Less FOMO and more JOMO, the joy of missing out.

Of course, the Danes have been living this lifestyle for years, but the most likely culprit of hygge's sudden rise in popularity is the number of books set to be released offering tutorials on the subject.

With eight titles either recently published or available to pre-order on hygge this autumn, it's no wonder the idea has suddenly entered our consciousness and as such, sidled into popular culture with a cosy mug of hot cocoa in its hands.

But suddenly it all starts to make sense. Finding joy in a glass of red wine gently toasting from the heat of a roaring fire is infinitely more appealing than trekking with trepidation through icy streets to yet another festive party clad in sequins.

As we leave summer behind and race towards the clocks going back and the days becoming shorter, it's time to embrace hygge.

While it may be a Danish way of living, a lot of Scottish traditions can easily apply to living a cosy, happy hygge lifestyle this autumn. Here's just how you can do it too.

Blankets

Living in a country that is perpetually cold 364 days a year except for our annual day of summer, everyone seems to have a stack of blankets for bulking up the layers over an electric blanket and a thick down duvet. Naturally, every household has that one tartan blanket, possibly from Edinburgh Woollen Mill, which no one quite knows the origin of, but serves as a picnic blanket, bed cover and extra layer for wandering from bed to the kettle when someone forgot to set the central heating for the morning.

Raid your house and stock up on snuggly fleece, wool and cashmere if you are feeling fancy and have them ready and waiting on the backs of chairs, sofas and in a basket by the television. Evenings are set to get a lot cosier now that it is perfectly acceptable to treat your sofa as a warm up bed before actually moving to your proper bed.

Lighting

To live the hygge lifestyle, you need to listen to your mother's cries for once about leaving your house 'lit up like Blackpool'. Forget the main lights in your living room and instead embrace soft lighting; tall lamps, little lamps and fairy lights all fitted with softly glowing bulbs are your friend. Essentially you're living inside a power cut, but it's cosy and fits the mood nicely. Extra marks for the orange glow of a real crackling wood fire, but your three bar will work just perfectly too.

Candles are a major element of cultivating a hygge atmosphere, so now is the time to ditch the reed diffusers and embrace cream coloured pillar candles and jars which smell of winter berry, vanilla and cinnamon. If you need to stock up, you can support Scottish brands like Isle of Skye Candle Company, Ecosse Candle Company or Coast Candle Company, which all make a large range of suitable autumn scents using toxin-free soya wax.

Cooking

That comforting feeling after you've eaten a dinner that just reminds you of childhood, your mum's cooking or just cosy carby goodness? A total hygge win. Think plates of mince and tatties, haggis and neeps, steak pies, a hunk of Scotch beef roasting in the oven with veg hauled from the garden, cheesy macaroni pies, stews, Scotch broth and crumbly oatcakes. Food for feeding the soul and making your belly happy.

Hygge shuns the bikini diet and thank goodness too - when it's cold outside, the last thing you want to fill your tummy is sticks of celery and limp salads.

Whisky

The splash of a dram as it hits your favourite glass. The crackle of ice (if you dare) or the gentle trickle of a little water and carrying your precious cargo to the sofa to enjoy on a freezing cold night. That's definitely hygge.

Warming your nose as you softly sip, there couldn't be a better drink to make you feel cosy. Of course, you could whip up a pan of mulled wine to cradle in your hands, a little splash of sloe gin in a glass, or a hot toddy if you're feeling under the weather. Sidenote: creating a hygge atmosphere when you're full of the winter cold will certainly make you feel a little better.

Friends

As a friendly bunch of folk, having your friends round for a relaxing evening is an essential part of hygge. But it's not about taking tons of selfies on your phones, tweeting whilst half listening to conversations and finding the perfect Snapchat filter to sneakily apply to your friends face. Meaningful c onversations and creating memories is what it's all about, so ban phones, stick them on silent in the corner of the room and curl up with a good board game and have a giggle.

Your set of Trivial Pursuit may have questions that were relevant 20 years ago and half the Monopoly money may be missing, but it's all part of the fun. Failing that, find a pack of cards, rack your brains and play the games your granny taught you. Gin rummy anyone?