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Denmark

"It gets dark at 3:30 p.m. in the winter here, so Danes have gotten good at creating hygge, or 'cozy.' We come and go casually to each others' houses on evenings and weekends. It's about being happy at home with no one rushing to go anywhere." —Mette Borring, 48, finance executive; Copenhagen

What you can do: It's very simple, but key: Don't fuss too much. "One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: 'Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good,' and I apply this to entertaining," says Gretchen Rubin, author of Happier at Home. "If we worry about inviting people to the perfect holiday party, the task seems overwhelming. So I lower the bar to a manageable level. I had a holiday party that was dessert and drinks—so much easier than serving dinner, and very festive!"

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