Best Swedish rituals: Do you know what the Swedes do in the middle of the day?

The Swedes are an unusual nation.

Worthy, but extremely expensive coffee breaks are modest, but their flags are everywhere and on the first ball they can run cold like the climate that surrounds them, but when you get to know them, they are warm as a sauna. The Swedes do not enjoy the chat and empty words that many people need to overcome an unpleasant silence.

When they have nothing to say, the Swedes are silent, and rare are those who salute the neighbors on the staircase or in the passage. Sometimes you do not get a waitress, nor do you shop at the stores.

Commenting time with unknown people makes them a meaningless, futile activity, especially for older generations. From immigrants, exchange students or tourists, you may also hear a greeting, but from Sweden less often. But, just when they think they're cold and distant, a warm embrace will surprise you instead of greetings.

"Kidding" afternoon

The best thing about the fica is that there are no rules. You can be alone or with friends, at home or in a café, in a train, at work, anywhere, or anytime.

But explaining to someone who is not from Sweden is not the easiest thing in the world. It's a coffee break, and it's about something much more than coffee. There are also cinnamon rolls (kanelbullar), chocolate balls wrapped in coconut (chocolate) and dessert with marzipan (semlor) or some other cake as desired.

Still, the fick has a deeper meaning than an ordinary coffee break with something sweet.

This ritual is so entangled in their tradition that, the Swedes sometimes carry out fictions and photos by explaining to friends from other countries how it's time to relax, get closer to friends, get to know each other or get away from your daily routine. Fika is also a rescue from a busy day, a habit that tells people to stop, sit down, be aware of the moment and under the influence of sugar move into new work victories.

New times and healthy nutrition trends allow you to swallow sweet treats, so it is not "illegal" to order avocado toast instead of sugar beads. The fact that Sweden is among the 10 happiest and most friendly countries is also confirmed by the fact that luck is not without a photo. The capital of the Fike is Stockholm, which has hundreds of hipster or modern cafes, and if you want your host to show you the meaning of this ritual in the full sense of the word, you can also rent it.

Little Saturday

Little Saturday is not reserved for Swedes only; Norwegians, Danes, Finns and Bulgarians also practice this habit that many would attach to the North.

In Sweden, lillördag or a small Saturday is the day when the maids had a day off, because they worked on Saturday, and in modern times, the day of rest replaced the day of drinking, in the middle of the day.

However, not as intense as at the weekend, but still enough to break the weekly monotony, make some nonsense and create new holes in memory.

With moderate Swede, it's about a cup of wine or beer, and socializing with café friends who offer discounts at midnight.

• 22 Apr, 2018
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