Hej – and welcome to your weekly ScandiKitchen lesson.
Self awareness is important. Maybe some things we do seem strange to others, even if entirely normal to us. This week, we examine some habits we find entirely reasonable.
Every week, we give a little lesson on how to be a bit more Scandinavian in your everyday life. If you’d like the full-length version of these lessons direct into your inbox every Friday morning, simply click here to sign up.
No shoes
Go to a party at your friends’ house, all dressed up, then leave shoes at the door. Because looking your best, in your socks, is better than wearing your outdoor shoes inside. Just don’t.
Pee-pee time
We love to announce it. Even during board meetings. Just in case there’s any confusion as to why you’re leaving the room, say loudly: Jag måsta kissa (I need to pee).
Sweeties
Eat 1.2kg (2.6lb) of sweets, a week. That is what the average Swedish family consumes. At least, we usually only do it only once a week, but then we do it to excess.
What’s the dill?
Liquorice sweets. Liquorice ice cream. Liquorice chocolate. Liquorice alcohol. Liquorice sauce. Liquorice everything. If it doesn’t have liquorice, it probably has dill in it instead, our 2nd fave flavour.
Queue
Stand at least 1m from strangers in a queue, ideally more. Do not make eye contact and don’t small talk with strangers. Remember covid queues distances? These were our normal happy zones.
Leave babies outside
Our babies have their naps outside in their prams. It’s good for them, even when it’s minus 10 celsius. Fresh air and all that.
No bragging
Because we are bound by the Laws of Jante, we do not brag. Got a number one single? It’s because of all the people who bought it. It’s never about the individual: no one is better than anyone else.
Dip
It is the law that every individual crips must be dipped into a sourcream that’s flavoured with a spice powder tasting of ‘Holiday’. True, it’s the law.
