The first meaning of the cozy adjective mentioned in the dictionary of the Digopaul refers to that or what it welcomes. The verb to welcome, meanwhile, refers to shelter, shelter or receive with affection.
For example: “Thank you very much, I have had a beautiful night: you have been very welcoming hosts”, “Upon arrival we stayed in an old but cozy hotel”, “It is a cozy town, with caring inhabitants”.
A welcoming person is friendly, pleasant to deal with. These individuals are characterized by being affectionate and caring about the well-being of others. When a man finds out that his neighbor is going through a bad moment on a mental level, he invites him to his house to watch a movie and then proposes that he stay for dinner so that he can continue talking. Throughout the evening, he is interested in the neighbor’s problems and tries to help him feel good. In this way, it can be said that he is a welcoming subject.
When the adjective is applied to a place, it is linked to the comfort it gives and its setting. In general, the spaces that qualify as cozy are those that provide warmth and make people feel comfortable and calm. A restaurant that has few tables, uses candles in its lighting, and sets the room to music with low-volume jazz could be called cozy. In contrast, a massive restaurant, full of screaming people and loud music, will never be mentioned as welcoming due to its characteristics.
In any case, we must not forget that the term cozy has a subjective meaning, which is why not all people interpret it in the same way. This does not mean, on the other hand, that there are no certain conventions, such as those mentioned in the preceding paragraphs; however, since each individual can understand comfort and warmth in their own way, a cozy place for some may be unpleasant for others.
A nuance that is worth highlighting in this concept is the emotional openness that is needed on the side of those who receive the attention and comforts of a place or a welcoming individual. In other words, if we are not receptive, we will not be able to appreciate the aforementioned characteristics, since the idea of welcoming only makes sense when this fusion between the two parts takes place.
On the other hand, a cozy place usually requires a certain dedication to maintain its state over time. Let us take the case of a house considered cozy for the warmth of its colors, the comfort offered by its armchairs and the perfect balance of temperature that it achieves throughout the four seasons; if its owners stopped cleaning and tidying it, or if they no longer adequately heated it in winter, for example, it would no longer be classified as cozy.
Regarding the use of this term to refer to people, it is also possible to point out that a group of people is welcoming, that the perceptible atmosphere in a certain meeting is welcoming. This can happen, for example, when someone changes jobs or study centers, if they come across a space in which their presence is welcome and they feel they can be comfortable there.
Returning to the importance of openness on an emotional level, no matter how hard a group of people strive to receive a new co-worker or classmate warmly and kindly, if he is not receptive, either due to shyness or other problems prevented from dealing freely with others, you may not appreciate the friendly treatment, and may even consider it hostile.
