On a recent trip to Denmark, I had the opportunity to meet the Happiest Man in the World. His name, for the record, is Erik Christiansen. Thanks in part to its extensive social welfare system, egalitarian social structure, and 6-week vacations, Denmark routinely rates as the World’s Happiest Country, and several years ago some not-very-scientific demographic calculations by Good Morning America determined Christiansen to be the Happiest Man in the World. True, he did have good hair, but otherwise seemed a rather ordinary Dane.

The video below is a public service announcement by the Danish bus company midttrafik. (It's actually a sequel; the first one is here.) Seeing it reminded me of something endearing about the Danes--their celebration of the everyday. One of the reasons that they are so happy, it turns out, is that they have low expectations for life, and are constantly pleased when things turn out better than anticipated. 

It helps, of course, that the Danish everyday is pretty great: The bus system is extensive, punctual, comfortable. Even in Denmark, though, it is not commonly considered “cool.” Until now, perhaps.