Swedish Traditions I Love: Fika, Saturday Sweets and Cosy Fridays
One of the lovely things about visiting another country is discovering the little traditions that make everyday life feel special.
During our Sweden trip, I particularly liked learning about fika and Saturday sweets. Taking time for a drink and a treat, or having a weekly sweet-shop ritual, might sound simple but that’s exactly what appeals to me.
After looking into a few more Swedish traditions, I’ve found several I would happily borrow at home. We didn’t experience all of these during our visit, but they’ve given me plenty of inspiration.
Fika: Making Time for a Proper Break
Fika is probably the Swedish tradition I would most like to make part of everyday life.
It’s a social break, usually involving coffee/hot drink and something sweet, shared with friends, family or colleagues. It’s common in Swedish workplaces as well as outside work.
What I love is the idea of deliberately stopping. It’s easy to make a drink and then carry on with whatever you were doing, barely noticing it. Setting aside time to sit down with someone feels much more enjoyable.
You don’t need an elaborate occasion either. A drink, something delicious and a bit of conversation are enough.
During our trip, we visited Alingsås, known as Sweden’s fika capital because of its long-established café and bakery culture. That seems like a very good reputation for a town to have!
Lördagsgodis: Saturday Sweets
I absolutely love the idea of lördagsgodis, which means Saturday sweets.
The tradition developed in Sweden in the 1950s, encouraging people to keep sweets as a weekly treat. It became more widely established during the following decade.
For me, the appeal is having something to look forward to. Choosing your sweets becomes part of the weekend rather than just grabbing something without much thought.
The pick-and-mix in Sweden was amazing. I enjoyed looking at the choice, and the allergen labels at the stands I checked were helpful when working out what each sweet contained.
Of course, people have their own routines, and it doesn’t mean everyone in Sweden only eats sweets on Saturdays. But as a family tradition, I think it’s fantastic.
I can imagine this being something that carries on even as children get older a little Saturday ritual everyone still enjoys.
Fredagsmys: A Cosy Friday Evening
Another tradition I like the sound of is fredagsmys, often translated as “cosy Friday”.
It’s a way of marking the end of the working week at home, with snacks, time together and often something to watch. Tacos have become closely associated with it too, earning Friday the nickname “taco Friday”.
This feels very easy to adopt: a relaxed dinner, comfortable clothes and an evening together.
When everyone has had a busy week, it’s nice to have a familiar plan that doesn’t require lots of organising. You could take turns choosing the film or put the taco fillings on the table for everyone to help themselves.
Between cosy Friday and Saturday sweets, Sweden has some very appealing ideas for starting the weekend.
Cinnamon Bun Day
A country that gives cinnamon buns their own day is clearly taking baked treats seriously.
Kanelbullens dag, or Cinnamon Bun Day, is celebrated on 4 October.
I love the fun of giving an everyday favourite its own celebration. It’s an excuse to bake, visit a bakery or arrange a fika with someone.
I eat gluten free, so I would need a suitable bun, but that certainly wouldn’t stop me joining in. We found plenty of gluten-free baked treats during our Sweden trip, even if some impressed me more than others!
And cinnamon buns aren’t the only food with a day in the calendar: Sweden also celebrates Waffle Day on 25 March. That’s another date I could happily get behind.
Midsummer: Flowers, Food and Time Together
Midsummer is one of Sweden’s major annual celebrations, traditionally associated with flowers, dancing around a maypole and a meal shared with others. Typical foods include pickled herring, potatoes and strawberries.
We visited in autumn, so this wasn’t something we experienced ourselves. But I would love to see it on a future trip.
The combination of an outdoor celebration, seasonal food and time with family or friends sounds lovely. It would also give us a completely different experience of Sweden from our autumn holiday.
Lucia: Light in the Winter Darkness
Lucia is another tradition I would love to experience.
Celebrated on 13 December, it features singing processions, white clothing and candlelight, with Lucia leading the group wearing a crown of lights. Saffron buns called lussekatter and gingerbread are associated with the occasion.
It sounds beautiful, especially at a time of year when the days are short. I can imagine the music and lights making it a memorable part of a winter visit.
After enjoying Lights in Alingsås during our trip, I’m certainly interested in another reason to visit Sweden for an evening filled with light.
The Traditions I’d Bring Home
If I were choosing a few to adopt, I would start with fika, cosy Fridays and Saturday sweets.
They’re simple enough to fit into ordinary family life. You don’t need to travel anywhere or spend much money just make a little time, choose something everyone enjoys and give it a regular place in the week.
That’s what I find so appealing about them. They turn a coffee break, a Friday dinner or a bag of sweets into something to share and look forward to.
And I’m very happy to add Cinnamon Bun Day and Waffle Day to the calendar too.
