Kalsarikännit

The word is a Finnish compound: kalsari (underwear, from the Swedish kalsonger) and kännit (plural of känni, drunkenness). The term circulated in Finnish vernacular for decades as a culturally specific, shame-free concept of domestic comfort. It reached an international audience around 2017 when English-language media began reporting on Finnish wellbeing concepts, and Finland included it in a government-commissioned emoji set. The concept gained unexpected global resonance during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when mandatory isolation nationalized the experience for millions.