A Look Inside The Lives of Ordinary Swedes, 55 Facts About Swedish Culture Guaranteed To Make You Go “Wow!”
Keep It Clean
Finding an apartment in Sweden is complex, and finding one with a washer and dryer is even more challenging. So tough that just considering the idea feels like an impossible daydream. But those that do live well.
Most people living in an apartment or condo complex must use communal laundry facilities, washing machines, dryers, drying racks, storage cabinets, and how-to guides. This room typically sits in the basement or ground floor of the structure and is free to use.
Södermalm
Among the several districts in Stockholm, Södermalm’s widely regarded as among the city’s hippest. Vogue named it one of the “World’s 15 Coolest Neighborhoods.” After years as a working-class district, the area has dramatically transformed into a vibrant center of cafes, bars, independent boutiques, and art galleries.

Look no further if you’re looking for fantastic vintage stores, experimental restaurants, and laid-back people. Moreover, you’ll find several art galleries along the water’s edge, including Fotografiska, the famed Swedish Museum of Photography.
The Power of the Swedish Passport
Covers for Swedish passports are easily recognizable thanks to their blue and gold color scheme and the golden crowns on a blue background seen in the country’s coat of arms. It’s noteworthy that Swedish citizens can use it to travel visa-free to 173 different countries. Seriously, how awesome is that?

Unsurprisingly, the Global Passport Power Rank places Sweden’s passport fifth place for best in the world. However, naturally, one must be a Swedish citizen to be eligible for it.
Everyone Can Give Speeches At Weddings
The Swedish wedding tradition is unusual because anyone can give a speech, not just the bride’s father, the groom, or the best man. Anyone can deliver a speech.

Many Swedes come to life at weddings, where speeches might last from the early hours of the evening until midnight. Everyone from the girl’s family members to the girlfriends of the groom’s buddies tries their best to make the audience laugh and/or cry with an expressive tribute to the newlyweds.
Fika – The Swede Secret
The Swedes consume a lot of coffee, making them known as among the world’s most avid coffee enthusiasts. The Swedish word for coffee breaks is “Fika.” It consists of coffee, cakes, and pleasant chat.

Fika is more than simply a time to relax with a cup of Joe and a slice of cake; it’s a chance to get to know your coworkers and make new friends. Some businesses have designated “Fika rooms” for their staff to relax and bond over a shared interest.
Swede Maternity and Paternity Leave
We all know how stressful it can be for new parents to return to work almost immediately after the birth of their young one. However, you don’t have to worry about returning to work quickly in Sweden.

Parents in Sweden get unpaid leave after the birth of a child. Parents have the right to stay home with their newborn for the first 18 months of their child’s life. The total number of days for maternal and paternal leave is 480.
The Irony of the Healthy Swedish Lifestyle
Swedes are often not stereotyped as being unhealthy or overweight. In reality, one in five Swedes under the age of 30 follows a plant-based diet, and 9% of the total population in Sweden adheres to a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Nonetheless, it is the European country with the most significant concentration of McDonald’s outlets. And therefore, it’s safe to say that there is no scarcity of fast food joints. Other fast-food franchises have tried and failed to thrive in Swedish cities.
No.1 for Patents
Sweden is often recognized as the world’s most prosperous country despite its large population, thanks to its emphasis on technological innovation. As early as the 1600s, Sweden began enforcing laws to preserve inventors’ rights to their creations. A patent’s validity period starts on the filing date and ends 20 years afterward.

Several cutting-edge corporations, like global telecoms giant Ericsson and furnishing giant IKEA, call Sweden home. Both of these firms have filed for and been granted many patents in Sweden.
Living Green
As a result of its dedication to environmental sustainability and preservation, Sweden’s famously a “green” country. In fact, in 1967, the nation was the first to enact legislation protecting the environment.

It boasts one of the highest per capita rates of use of renewable energy in the world due to a long history of favoring clean energy. Sweden is also home to numerous significant natural landscapes protected for future generations through the implementation of legislation to protect and manage forests, lakes, and mountains.
Honesty is the Best Policy
The Swedes place a premium on honesty and adhere strictly to the adage that “honesty is the best policy.” Swedes are famously trustworthy, and there’s evidence to support this assumption. They’re the world’s third most open and honest nation, according to the 2021 World Press Freedom

It also consistently achieves excellent marks in international studies measuring honesty and trust, like the World Values Survey. So if you lose something in Sweden, be confident it will find its way back to you.
Flat Hierarchy Structure
Sweden may be well-known for its consensus-based, horizontal organizational structure. But this country is also famous for its laid-back culture and lack of formal hierarchy in the workplace.

In Sweden, it is acceptable to use a person’s first name regardless of their professional or organizational title. It is expected, in fact, and has less to do with disrespect than typical Swedish culture. In this way, there is no place for superiors or subordinates. Here, everyone is on the same level.
No Small Talk, Thanks
Conversing with a stranger is considered normal in many cultures and can sometimes lead to the development of a lasting friendship. However, the Swedes don’t share this view. They see conversation as a means to an end and don’t put much stock in small talk that leads nowhere.

Frequently, they will avoid making eye contact with a stranger to avoid starting a potentially uncomfortable and pointless conversation. Despite their reserved appearance, Swedish people are known to be polite and friendly.
Nothing Personal
Many Swedes are sensitive about privacy. For instance, in crowded situations like elevators, Swedes will often place themselves as far apart from other passengers as possible. A bit over an arm’s length of separation is standard during talks.

In addition to respecting one another’s space, Swedes tend to keep their business to themselves. You wouldn’t catch them disclosing family secrets or personal concerns with strangers or acquaintances. Don’t take it personally if a new Swedish acquaintance keeps you at arm’s length.
Just Get To The Point
Swedes are known for their straightforwardness and directness of speech. The focus of the conversation is on its practical uses. They usually take a direct, diplomatic approach to resolving disagreements.

Swedes try to have a polite tone even when using more direct language. Their directness, which can be misinterpreted as rudeness, is, of course, not their aim. So if you ever find yourself talking to one of them, you can rest assured that there will be no beating about the bush.
Hard To Make Friends
It’s a common misconception that Swedes are cold and withdrawn because they’re so introverted and somber. Conversations of any length or spontaneity are unusual. Some foreigners may find the relative lack of warmth in Sweden’s social interaction unsettling.

To a Swede, however, what could seem like emotional distance is actually just an ingrained cultural norm of keeping one’s own counsel out of courtesy and concern for another’s privacy—because of this, making new friends in the country is challenging but not impossible.
Hobby Friends
Making friends in Sweden can be challenging, but you’ll have more success after mastering the country’s etiquette. One must realize that there are numerous cultures with their conventions and unspoken regulations and that it may be challenging to identify some of them.

Connecting with individuals who have similar interests and hobbies is another option. There’s nothing like spending time with someone in the gym or the lab to forge a strong bond. However, this doesn’t mean that coworkers will magically transform into friends.
Hard to Find a Crib
Compared to other European countries, finding affordable property in Sweden is far more difficult. Since there is a shortage of rural housing, a black market has developed for multi-year rental agreements.

The situation is the worst in Stockholm and Gothenburg, where it is difficult to acquire property and living expenses are elevated. Some wait in line for an apartment for years. In more rural areas, this is an advantage because while housing is expensive, most units are in excellent shape.
Keep It Clean
Finding an apartment in Sweden is complex, and finding one with a washer and dryer is even more challenging. So tough that just considering the idea feels like an impossible daydream. But those that do live well.

Most people living in an apartment or condo complex must use communal laundry facilities, washing machines, dryers, drying racks, storage cabinets, and how-to guides. This room typically sits in the basement or ground floor of the structure and is free to use.
No Paper Money
The Swedish way of life is ideally suited to cashless transactions. Banking technology has advanced rapidly in Sweden, and it could arguably be the only cashless society that has ever existed.

Most of the country’s bank branches no longer take cash deposits, and credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payment systems are the only ways to pay in most stores, museums, and restaurants. Contactless card readers are becoming increasingly common at checkout kiosks. For cash deposits and withdrawals, there are automated teller machines.
Short Summer Hours
It’s common in Sweden for people to leave the country for four or five weeks during the summer to relax at their vacation homes. The average Swede takes 41 paid days off yearly, more than double the global average.

That may give the impression that Swedes are lazy; however, Forbes rated Sweden the greatest country for business in 2017. Investment per capita in Stockholm is second only to Silicon Valley, making it home to one of the world’s most vibrant innovation and startup scenes.
Butter Fingers or Knives?
Butter, along with other dairy products, is a staple in the Swedish diet; hence the butter knife sees regular use. Invented in the ’50s, the Smörknif is a simple wooden tool that Swedes often make by hand at home or on craft day at school.

Every Swedish home has at least one of them, and you can find dozens more in souvenir shops across the country, some of which may even have an elk or Viking design carved into the handle.
The Last Slice
Rules exist everywhere you go, even if they aren’t always spelled out, about how to handle leftovers. Leaving some food on one’s plate is a sign of approval in various cultures. In some societies, doing so may be construed as a sign that one is not enjoying their meal.

That holds true in Sweden as well. But never leave a communal serving dish or bowl entirely empty; that’ll let people know the food was delicious and there’s plenty for everyone.
Long Live Lingonberries
Native to Scandinavia, lingonberries have been used for centuries in regional dishes. They grow in close proximity to wild blueberries and are ripe in Sweden throughout the months of August and September.

They go well with many traditional Swedish foods, like meatballs and potato pancakes, and are used frequently in Swedish cooking. Locals believe that the potent antioxidants found in lingonberries can help protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun. Swedish kids also love going lingonberry picking.
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