After the 2/2010 Blog about Australia, a reader sent me a wonderful e-mail with information she gathered to use when working on educating their North American employees about their office in Sydney. I look forward to feedback about the cultures of the countries that are put on this Blog. Remember we are sitting around the kitchen table, munching and having the beverage of our choice, discussing these subjects. Other opinions and facts are an important part of the “kitchen philosophy.”
I decided to do some blogging about what is referred to as the Scandinavian countries: Denmark; Finland; Norway and Sweden and some references included Iceland, Greenland (governed by Denmark) and the Faroe Islands. I am interested in learning about their similarities and their differences, but first I have to define one nation. As you may have guessed, it is going to be Sweden. Now this is really where the readers of this blog can help by sending information as to what makes up the differences in the countries listed as being Scandinavian.
Location: Between Finland and Norway in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat and Skagerrak.
Capital: Stockholm
Climate: In central and southern Sweden the winters are short and quite cold. Summer temperatures are similar to those in southern England, but with a lot more hours of daylight. In some places, the hazy, lazy days spent on the beach as the azure waters lap the shore will allow you to bask in the Midnight Sun and get a suntan. In the northeast, the winters are severe, while the summers can be surprisingly warm. The far winters are also severe with snow lying on the ground year-round in elevated areas. Summers are short and changeable.
Government: Constitutional monarchy parliamentary democracy. Parliament is The Riksdag with 349 members in one chamber.
Religion: 82% keep the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden. The other 18% include Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist.
Exported Goods: Paper products, electrical and computer equipment, motor vehicles, machinery, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, iron, steel, and foodstuffs.
Imported goods: Petroleum products, motor vehicles and accessories, machinery, electrical and computer equipment, foodstuffs, textile products, and footwear.
Ethnic Make-up: Sweden’s indigenous population consists of Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities.
Foreign-born or first-generation immigrants include people from Finland, the former Yugoslavia, Denmark, Norway and, a surprise to me, people from Greece and Turkey.
Language: The official language is Swedish and is spoken by the majority of individuals. One of two key minority languages is Sami, which is spoken in the Northern regions of Sweden and the other is Finnish, Meänkieli (Tornedalen Finnish). Also, spoken are Yiddish and Romani to a lesser degree.
Culture: As with Australia, the Swedes are humble and find boasting absolutely unacceptable. They prefer to listen to others as opposed to making sure they are heard. When speaking, Swedes speak softly and calmly. It is a rare moment that you would witness a Swede demonstrating anger or strong emotion in public. Failing to say thank you (Tack-thanks) is a very negative in Sweden.
Sweden is a believer in “everything in moderation.” This does not mean if you work hard you must play hard. People work hard, but not too hard and enjoy themselves without going to extremes. Children are raised to believe they are not any more special than other children.
The family is extremely important in Sweden, and the rights of children are well protected.
- Either the mother or father is entitled to be absent from work until their child reaches 18 months old.
- Either parent has the right to reduce their workload by 25% until their child reaches 8 years old (and is formally ready for school).
- A parental allowance is paid for 480 days, which is intended for both parents. Sixty of these days must be used by the “minority” parents. For this reason, these days are often known as “Daddy’s months.”
- You have the right to up to 60 days off per year to care for a sick child.
- If you are travelling in Sweden, you will notice that most restaurants and other establishments have a play area for the children even on the trains.
Business personnel in Sweden are typically reserved. It is important that all dealings are formal and serious until it is acceptable by the respective Swedish personnel to allow the events to become more relaxed. Key suggestions:
- Maintain eye contact, firm handshake, you shake hands with all attendees on both arrival and departure.
- Address your hosts with either their professional title or their honorific title and surname.
- Younger people are more likely to move to a first name basis than older people.
- Avoid unnecessary touching. Personal space is very important in Sweden, and I recommended that you do not invade that space.
- There is no specific protocol for exchanging business cards in Sweden.
- Give at least 2 weeks notice if you are planning a meeting in Sweden.
- Avoid the following time periods if possible: late February through early March, June, July, August and the Christmas season. Most Swedes will be on holiday during these periods.
- Punctuality is essential. If you are late this will reflect poorly on you, and you will be viewed as discourteous.
- Meetings are governed by an agenda. There is very little talk outside of the agenda given to you upon arrival.
- All individuals are expected to contribute.
- Business personnel are detail focused and your presentations should be well prepared with supporting, accurate and relevant data.
- Decisions are seldom made during initial meetings. It will be general and low key.
- Swedes are direct “saying what you mean and meaning what you say” is practiced and expected.
- Decisions are made by a committee. Endearing yourself to the most senior executives will be of no avail.
- Men should wear good quality suits with silk ties and shirts.
- Women should wear conservative business dresses or a suit. I am unsure if slacks are acceptable.
- It is strongly recommended that you do not wear anything flashy. Even senior directors or executives do not dress any more elaborately than average employees. No ostentatious or obvious jewelry.
- If invited to someone’s home, it is suggested that you take a gift of flowers or candy.
- Do not give white lilies or chrysanthemums, because they are reserved for funerals.
- It is recommended that you take gifts for any children who are part of the family you are visiting.
- If you are given a gift, open it upon receipt.
Things to do in Sweden:
- Boat trips from Stockholm city center to the islands. A tour of the Drottningholm Palace and the Palace Opera house is included. The theatre has been preserved in the original 18th century style. It continues to be home to both opera and the ballet.
- Canal cruises on the MS Ceres along the historic Göta Canal
- Make use of Sweden’s hundreds of miles of beaches, (particularly on the west coast) and 96,000 lakes.
- Staying fit by using the excellent facilities around the country for skating, tobogganing, snowmobiling, ice climbing and dog sledding.
- A country for golfers with more than 400 courses. One course is north of the Arctic Circle and has 24-hours of daylight during the summer. Many midsummer championships take place at night.
- Wildlife flourishes in southern Lapland, which has abundant reindeer, buzzard and lynx. Elk are common throughout the country. This area is also known for its skiing.
- Cycling is a popular holiday sport. Numerous trails can be found almost anywhere both in cities and the countryside.
- Fishing in Norrbotten has many mountain streams and sea fishing. It is situated on the Midnight Sun Coast, a 900 mile stretch of Baltic coastline that runs all the way to the Finnish border.
- History buffs will love the Southwestern Bohuslän province, one of the most important centers of ancient Swedish civilization, with archaeological relics dating back to the Bronze Age and Viking times.
Sweden’s Ice Hotel:
Sweden’s Ice Hotel is built by a river in the village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. Creating the ice hotel each winter takes 10,000 tons of clear river ice, plus 30,000 tons of snow. The ice hotel has an ice sauna, ice chapel and the famous Absolute Ice bar that is different every year.
Guests sleep in special sleeping bags on beds made of snow and ice and covered with reindeer skins. A hot drink is brought to the bedside each morning. Warm winter clothing is provided. Several cabins with bunk beds are available. “Warm accommodations” are available, too.
The season for Sweden’s ice hotel lasts from early-to-mid December to mid-late April.
Guests can also take cool outings, such as, a Northern Lights Tour to the Esrange Space Center. Keep in mind that the Northern Lights do not appear every night. You may get lucky, but don’t be disappointed if they fail to make an appearance.
As a bit of trivia, the Ice Palace in the James Bond film Die Another Day (2002), was inspired by the one in Sweden. However, the one in the movie was built in Iceland as a set.
The Santour Company sells Ice Hotel packages to handle all details of a visit. A sample package includes airfare to Stockholm and then to Kiruna, dogsled to the Ice Hotel (where the guests get warm winter clothes), diner and overnight, day-time outing, night at a nearby inn, and overnight train back to Stockholm.
Food and Drink:
- Food and drink is generally simply prepared using the freshest ingredients. Since Sweden is a seafaring country, fish dishes are abundant.
- Akvavit, a chilled spirit, is enjoyed with a smörgåsbord. Flavors vary from practically tasteless to sweetly spiced. Vodka, beer and sweet cider are also popular.
- Smörgåsbord includes: pickled herring with boiled potatoes, then a couple more fish courses, smoked salmon or anchovies followed by cold meat, sliced beef, stuffed veal, smoked reindeer and pâté. The next offering is a hot plate which may consist of herring au gratin, mushroom omelet, a tomato-doused croquette of fowl and Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs). Dessert is the finale consisting of a fruit salad and cheese plate.
Stockholm has all the allure and entertainment of any large city in the world. There are pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. The Stockholm Ice Bar is one of the most popular bars for travelers and many locals. First opened in 2001, the Stockholm Ice Bar is located in the Nordic Sea Hotel, and it is kept at -5º Celsius all year long to keep the ice in the interior of the bar from melting. The Ice Bar’s décor is made up entirely of ice, including furniture, interior fittings, and even the glasses used to serve drinks. Needless to say dress warmly. Bars stay open till 3 or 4 in the morning. If you are looking to experience some of the best restaurants that Stockholm has to offer, try the Stadshuskallaren. This is perhaps the best restaurant Sweden offers serving traditional food. This is also the restaurant that prepares the dinner for the Nobel Prize nominees each year, and customers of the restaurant will be able to sample items from Nobel menus. The Lisa Elmquist is perhaps the best restaurant in Stockholm for families. It is a small eatery located in the produce market outdoors in Stockholm. Music and theatre productions take place during the summer at open-air venues. Ballet and opera are also available.
Shopping:
There are many traditional markets and country fairs throughout Sweden. Items include glassware and crystal, ceramics, stainless steel, silver, cottage industry artifacts and woodcarvings. Nordic sweaters knitted by hand are also a good buy. Sweden leads the way in modern design.
Christmas:
- The celebration of Christmas lasts almost two months. The fun begins with Advent. Each Sunday before Christmas a candle is lit on an Advent wreath made of a stick that is decorated with white lichen and paper-mâché mushrooms or red berries.
- St. Lucia Day, the saint of light, is celebrated every December 13, one of the longest and darkest winter nights in Sweden. One girl is chosen to be St. Lucia, and wears a long white gown tied with a red sash. On her head she wears a crown of lingonberry and candles. Following her are other girls dressed in white carrying candles. Also tending to Lucia, starboys dressed in long white shirts and pointed caps decorated with silver stars. Usually, each school has its’ own St. Lucia procession. Children sing traditional songs and eat gingerbread cookies and saffron buns with raisin called lussekatters or Lucia cats.
- Christmas ornaments might be made of straw. Animals are popular ornaments to put on the tree. The tree is also decorated with lights, glass ornaments and tinsel.
- On Christmas Eve, a large dinner is served. Desserts include a rice pudding. An almond is hidden in the pudding. The person to find the almond is said to be the next to marry the following year.
- Another important Christmas Eve tradition is somewhat American. At three o’clock in the afternoon all the children watch the Disney special “From All of Us to All of You.” Dinner and presents must sometimes wait until after Kalle Anka (Donald Duck).
- Today the Jultomten (a cross between a little gnome and the German/British Santa Klaus) bring the children their gifts on Christmas Eve. They leave him a bowl of porridge and put candles in the windows so he can find his way to their homes.
- Christmas Day in Sweden is spent in church. December 26 is St. Stephen’s day in honor of the patron saint of animals.
- The holiday season concludes on January 13th otherwise known as Tjugondag Knut in Sweden which translated to dances Christmas away. On this day the children dance around the tree singing and the tree is taken down and discarded.
Human Resources
Recipes
ST. LUCIA BUNS
Lussekatts
Lucia cats
5 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon powdered saffron
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut up
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 2 cups flour, sugar and salt. In a small saucepan, heat milk to simmering over medium heat, then remove from the heat. Add the saffron and butter; stir until the butter is melted and the mixture and add eggs. Beat with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and satiny. Beat in the remaining flour one cup at a time until the dough is stiff but not dry. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
To bake, preheat oven to 400º. Form the dough into “S” shapes and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Rårakor med Gråslök
Lacy Potato Pancakes with Chives to serve 4
4 Medium-sized baking potatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Peel the potatoes and grate them coarsely, preferably into tiny slivers, into a large mixing bowl. Do not drain off the potato water that will accumulate in the bowl. Working quickly to prevent the potatoes from turning brown, mix into them the chopped chives, salt and a few grindings of the black pepper.
Heat the butter and oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over high heat until the foam subsides. The pan must be very hot, but not smoking. Using 2 tablespoons of potato mixture for each pancake, fry 3 or 4 at a time, flattening them out with a spatula to about 3 inches in diameter. Fry each batch of pancakes over medium-high het for 2 or 3 minutes on each side, or until they are crisp and golden. Serve at once. (I like to serve these with a dollop of sour cream and a pot roast in the winter.)
I’ll leave you until the next blog. I’m stopping at the store on my way home from work and buy a bag of Swedish Fish to enjoy while watching one of my favorite movies “Mama Mia.” The music by ABBA gives me such a good feeling and I love Swedish Fish. Doesn’t everyone love Swedish Fish?
Ha det så bra!
CITED: Brown, Dale: The Cooking of Scandinavia: Published by Time Life Books; Series: Foods of the World
http://www2.hhs.se/isa/swedish/chap2.htmhttp://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Sweden-Facts/Worth-knowing-about-Sweden
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/sweden.html
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/269/top_things_to_do/Europe/Sweden.html
http://www.destination360.com/europe/sweden
http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/sweden.html
http://imdb.com/title/tt0246460/trivia
http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/st-knut
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