Some good manners from Sweden, Denmark and Norway
It’s important to behave properly. Generally, we Scandinavians are an assertive bunch, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have manners.
Here are some of our favourite manners that you may not have encountered before. Maybe these will be helpful next time you mingle with people from the Northern shoes.
Shoes off
Want to visit a Scandinavian? Leave your shoes at the front door. We really don’t understand why this is not a universal thing already.
Takk for sist
This means ‘thanks for last time’ and you need to say this when you next see someone you saw a while back. Meeting a friend on the street whom you had dinner with at their home last week? Takk for sist. Back at Auntie Margaret’s house after a few months of not seeing her? Takk for sist. It doesn’t matter if its 5 minutes or 2 months: Takk for sist.
Well-Be-Come
In Denmark, you may not start your meal until the host says ‘Velbekommen’. It’s the equivalent of the British ‘tuck in!’. You, of course, must also thank the host for food after the meal (Tak for mad) – to which the host will reply ‘Velbekomme’ and you may leave the table.
Hello?
In most parts of Scandinavia, when you pick up the phone, you say your name. When you call someone, you introduce yourself. None of this ‘hello’ only business.
The Swedish bite
In Sweden, you leave the last bite on the plate. One bun left on the tray? You may only take half of that. Yes, half. Just cut it with a knife and leave the rest. The next person will take half of the half. Then the half of the quarter. Then the half of the 1/8… In the end, we’re splitting atoms, but there darn well will be a slice left that will be taken to the kitchen. Do NOT take the last bit.
The Norwegian Arm
In Norway, rather than interrupt someone eating to pass the salt/gravy/mustard, you may reach over their plate. This is called The Norwegian Arm and it’s a thing. Just shove right over Peter’s plate and grab what you need – and follow up with ‘Excuse my Norwegian arm” – and it’s all fine.
In other places, it’s rude to reach over, so only do this in Norway.
Punctuality
Be on time. Don’t be early, don’t be late – be on TIME. Invited for dinner for 6:30? This is when dinner starts – be on TIME.
Shake my hand and say your name
Pre-Corona times, we were prolific hand shakers. Enter any gathering, and Scandinavians would do the rounds and shake hands with every participant and then introduce themselves. This is especially tedious at larger gatherings if you arrive last. Thankfully, now nobody shakes hands and we just elbow our way around.
The Cheese
You never hack in the cheese with a knife. Ever. Use a slicer like any civilized person.
You’ve been warned.
Queue like a Scandi
Stand at least a metre apart in any queue in Sweden, Norway and Finland. At all times. This is not a Corona thing, but a perfectly common Nordic thing*.
*Except the Danes who are not so good at queues.
Leave work on time
In Denmark, if you start staying late at work, you are a morakker and that is not a nice thing to be. You make others look bad by staying later. So, Danes leave work on time. Finish at 16:30? The office will be deserted by 16:31 and the lights will be off.
Want coffee?
If you ever visit a Nordic person in their home, you WILL be offered coffee. We have an obsession about making sure people have had more coffee, most likely a full pot of pure caffeine will be made and drunk and you’ll realise you won’t sleep for a week.
The Chocolate Box
If a chocolate box has 2 layers, no Swede will EVER go to the 2nd layer before having finished the first one. It’s just not done. We must ALL suffer the coffee praline before moving on to better things. Danes will ignore this rule and Swedes think them uncultured.
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