Archive for 'Culture'
Backman’s Latest: Anxious People Posted by Liz S on Jan 21, 2022
January is an ideal month for both bokmalar (bookworms) and sträcktittare (binge watchers), and if you identify as either, this post is for you! By now, you may have heard of the New York Times bestselling Swedish author Fredrik Backman. His debut novel, En man som heter Ove (A Man Called Ove), became an international…
Popular Swedish Ski Towns Posted by Chelsea B on Jan 14, 2022
Skidorter (ski towns) dot the Swedish countryside, providing endless opportunities for skiers and snowboarders to enjoy the winter weather. Spanning from just a few miles outside of Stockholm to riksgränsen at the northern border, it’s easy to catch a train and hit the slopes for the weekend, or plan a longer skidsemester with the family…
New Year’s Resolutions with Sarah Dawn Finer Posted by Chelsea B on Jan 7, 2022
Hej från 2022! Exciting things are in store for you, Swedish blog fans. Not only is this the first post of the new year, it’s also music-themed. January in Minnesota is a lot like it is in Sweden. It’s a quiet, reflective time – it’s cold, it’s dark, and we’re all slowly recovering from the…
Corona Bubble and Doomsday Scrolling – New Swedish Word List for 2021 Posted by Chelsea B on Dec 31, 2021
At the end of each year, Språkrådet and Språktidningen collaborate to release a Swedish nyordslista – new word list! These new entries to the Swedish language typically reflect social trends, movements, cultural phenomena, and disasters. Unfortunately, 2021’s nyordslista is a spitting image of the strange and stressful year we’ve endured – half of the words…
Swedish Jul – A Christian Tradition with Pagan Roots Posted by Chelsea B on Dec 24, 2021
Swedish jul (Christmas) is more a cultural fixture than a religious observation. Its roots connect to the pagan Yuletide season, centered around the winter solstice – the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth came later. This week, we’ll discuss how modern Swedish jul tells the story of shared historical and religious practices. Roots of Yule…
Say skål! Swedish Christmas Drinking Songs Posted by Chelsea B on Dec 3, 2021
It’s December – let the holiday festivities begin! Besides celebrating Christmas, Swedes enjoy advent and Lucia. Each holiday comes with a suite of songs that people know by heart. But at the dinner table with family and friends – a proper skål craves another type of jovial ballad – the snapsvisa. This week, we’ll cover…
The Swedish Kitchen Series: Festmiddag Posted by Chelsea B on Nov 26, 2021
The holidays are upon us! And because I’ve been busy cooking Thanksgiving dishes today, I wanted to take another look at Svenska institutet’s booklet on Swedish food and traditions,“Det svenska köket.” Festmiddag (Dinner Party) is the last chapter of the book and reflects the culture of the sometimes formal, yet relaxed Swedish dinner party among…