Culture and Customs of Sweden (Cultures and Customs of the World)

Culture and Customs of Sweden (Cultures and Customs of the World) by Nordstrom, Byron J. () Hardcover on leondumoulin.nl *FREE* shipping on qualifying.
Table of contents

The result — at best — is cultural cross-fertilisation.

Culture of Sweden

Most Swedes already know what the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan , involves. Several new traditions have found their way into Swedish life in recent years, usually via the media or as a result of commercial pressures. A few generations from now, the origins of these customs may have been forgotten, for as soon as a people absorb something in the form of a custom, where it actually originated becomes a matter of little interest.

Odd Traditions from Around the World

This does not make any of them less enjoyable. Most traditional customs are celebrated in the home, with the family. The only real exception is Midsummer, when Swedes, regardless of the weather, want to be outdoors, to meet others and to greet the arrival of summer. But then Midsummer is an occasion with pagan roots. Visitors to Sweden in wintertime may find the streets deserted, but summer visitors encounter a completely different scene.

Welcome to the official site of Sweden. Discover the facts and stories of our country.

The violin or fiddle arrived in Sweden in the s and quickly spread among the peasantry. Indigenous folk music, which is often in triple time, was usually played by a lone fiddler at dances. This musical culture has survived, and the summer meets often attract large numbers of visitors. Summer is festival season in Sweden.


  • Swedish culture and traditions | Lund University.
  • English is widely spoken?
  • lécriture sans calmants... Poésie Body Bags (French Edition).
  • Ghost Dance (The Infernal Game Book 2);
  • The Omega Rx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil (The Zone)!

From north to south, music lovers can enjoy anything from folk music to heavy metal. Way Out West in Gothenburg is the most popular music festival with about 30, visitors.

Language Translation Services for Sweden

The Swedish summer is also a time when many couples marry, as the weather allows them to travel to church in an open pony-and-trap or to wed in a simple ceremony on a rock in the archipelago. Most people also prefer to hold funeral ceremonies in church. Christening ceremonies are still a feature of contemporary life in Sweden — again, mostly in summertime — although naming ceremonies of a more homespun character are becoming increasingly popular.

Confirmation in the Church of Sweden is still prevalent, but nowadays usually in the form of a summer camp where bible studies are combined with social and other activities. The elderly sometimes mutter about a loss of values when young people go their own way. Marriage, christenings and confirmation in church used to be rites of passage en route to adulthood and a place in the community.

Nowadays, most people do as they please. Swedes are like most others: Are punctual as it is considered extremely impolite if you are rude. In the same essence, do not arrive too early. It is not an uncommon event in Sweden for guests to sit in the car until the last minute or walk around the block until the expected time of arrival has arrived!

Dress smartly as to otherwise would be considered disrespectful to the hosts. When eating, keep your hands in full view, with your wrists on top of the table. The European eating etiquette should be adhered to in respect to knife in the right hand and fork in the left. Do not start eating until the hostess has started. Do not take the last helping from a plate. Finish everything on your plate as it is considered rude to leave any food uneaten. Do not offer a toast to anyone more senior to you in age. When offering a toast then lift your glass and nod at everyone present looking from those seated on your right to those seated on your left before taking a sip.

Culture of Sweden - Wikipedia

You should then nod again before replacing your glass on the table. It is important that you do not discuss business at the table as Swedes try to distinguish between home and work. During formal events, the guest seated on the left of the hostess typically stands to make a speech during the sweet, to thank her on behalf of the whole group. Etiquette in Sweden Meeting and Greeting Business Personnel in Sweden are typically fairly reserved and as such it is important that all dealings are formal and serious until it is deemed acceptable by the respective Swedish personnel to allow events to become more relaxed.

Key suggestions are as follows: Ensure that, maintaining eye contact coupled with a firm handshake, you shake hands with all attendees on both arrival and departure. Ensure that you address your hosts with either their professional title or their honorific title and their surname - Mr. Younger people are likely to move more quickly to a first name basis than older people.

Avoid any unnecessary touching. If you choose to give flowers, then ensure that the bouquet does not include white lilies or chrysanthemums. The reason for this being that both types of flowers are typically given at funerals. Since Sweden is such a child centred country, it is always recommended that you take gives for any children who may be part of the family who you are visiting. If you are personally given a gift, then it is custom to open it upon receipt. Business Cards There are no particular protocols for the exchanging of business cards in Sweden.

Business wear in Sweden is conservative. As such, we advise the following: Men should wear good quality suits with silk ties and shirts. Women should wear conservative business dresses or a suit. Due to the egalitarian values of Sweden, it is strongly recommended that you do not wear anything flashy.

Swedish culture and traditions

Even senior directors or executives do not dress any more elaborately than average employees. In Sweden it is taken as a given that bosses and managers respect the opinions of their employees and all staff have the right to share their opinion so long as it is supported by valid reasons and data.

This logical approach to business is also expected of managers, so ensure you are always prepared. If you need to provide negative feedback to a staff member, make sure your criticisms are kept succinct and avoid unnecessary elaboration and repetition. Refrain from providing this feedback in communal office areas as Swedes view criticism in front of others as a lack of respect. Swedes aim to achieve lagom in their work days to ensure their workload is completed to a pleasing standard and dislike being asked to do overtime on weekdays or to work on weekends.

Swedes are rarely flexible on holiday arrangements, so it is best to keep this in mind when discussing timelines with colleagues. With the strong economy and a general open-mindedness to new ideas, increasing numbers of foreign businesses are setting up in Sweden. Across Sweden new markets are now emerging in futuristic industries such as renewable energy, AI and life sciences. Innovative thinkers who are looking to set up their business in Sweden should start their research at Statistics Sweden in order to find the geographic spread of their niche demographic.

Branschorganisation will provide information on size and types of companies and Verksamt. It is worth remembering that Swedish legislature places great importance on parental leave, flexible working, pension entitlements, holidays and corporate social responsibility CSR. Foreign companies who openly embrace this progressive approach to business generally report an increase in productivity and are likely to expand more quickly.

Most foreigners are at first alarmed by the high taxes and cost of living in Sweden. However, expats agree the excellent quality of life is worth these costs. A healthy lifestyle is ingrained in Swedish culture and expats regularly comment on how they benefit from the Swedish diet with its regular servings of fresh fish and vegetables. Expats enjoy the wealth of outdoor activities in Sweden that suit all levels of fitness from alpine skiing to berry picking.

Most expats find their first Swedish winter difficult, as the short dim days can seem never-ending. Participating in a range of winter outdoor activities is a recommended way to combat these winter blues. Most expats mirror the Swedes and live in the south of the country due to the connectivity to Scandinavia and the rest of Europe for both business and leisure. Adventurous entrepreneurs planning on running a virtual business may wish to investigate some smaller northern Swedish towns where rents are cheaper and a more authentic Swedish experience is on offer. Most expats will settle in Stockholm as they can experience the excitement of living in a large modern city and still have the wilderness close to their doorstep.

Stockholm is the most expensive city in Sweden, but the range of activities, transport and services is extensive. There is much to explore on the weekends such as the perennial tourist favourites of Gamla Stan and the Vasa Museum.


  • Navigation menu.
  • Modern Methods for Business Research (Quantitative Methodology Series).
  • Sweden Guide;

Stockholm is an archipelago that expats have more time to explore and it is worthwhile travelling out to Vaxholm and beyond to get a feel for Swedish island living. Gothenburg is a cheaper and friendlier alternative to Stockholm.