Hygge, lagom, fika … You might have heard these Scandinavian buzzwords being tossed around, but what do they actually mean?
This week, I celebrated my 2 year anniversary working as the travel editor for a Swedish website. Working in an environment where the majority of your colleagues are Swedish (duh 😅), you pick up interesting Scandinavian concepts pretty quickly.
In fact, about a month into working for this company, I went out and bought a few of those pocket guidebooks on everything from lagom to lykke — it’s important to keep up with trends, especially as an editor. ;)
After poring over every page, I’m here to break down the top seven most popular Scandinavian philosophies and show you how to apply them in your life. In this post, we’ll cover everything from coffee to saunas, the great outdoors, and happiness. Let’s check it out!
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Hygge
Origin: Danish
Translation: Coziness and comfort
What it means: The Danish are consistently ranked as the happiest people in the world, even with the long and miserable Scandinavian winters. How do they do it? With a simple concept called hygge!
Hygge (pronounced hoo-geh) is closely related to the English word coziness or comfort.
Instead of complaining about the cold weather and raging blizzard outside, Danes will spin a negative situation into something positive. They’ll light some candles and take the opportunity to do something they’ve been meaning to do, such as read that interesting new book or doodle near the fireplace.
How to Hygge: Set the scene for the ultimate hygge evening by lighting a few candles, getting into your coziest fleece jacket, and wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket near the fireplace. Add some tea, soft pillows, and cute socks for extra effect.
Fun fact: there’s even a word for hygge sweatpants! Hyggebukser is that comfortable pair of pants that you throw on after a long day at work, but one that you would never wear in public.
Hygge: Unlock the Danish Art of Coziness and Happiness // Soft fleece socks // Super soft cozy blanket // Warm & cozy candle // Shaggy fleece coat
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Fredagsmys
Origin: Swedish
Translation: Cozy Friday
What it means: If hygge had a Swedish sister, it would be Fredagsmys. Translated as “cozy Friday,” this is a weekly tradition where Swedes can finally relax after a hard week of work. Funnily enough, someone on Urban Dictionary wrote that Fredagsmys is “the most holy tradition in Sweden,” and when I asked my coworkers, they all agreed in unison.
The rules are pretty simple: Friday after work, you run to the store to grab ingredients to make tacos, as well as sweets and salty snacks. Then you get home, change into your comfiest clothes, and snuggle up on the couch to watch a movie or binge watch that show.
How to Fredagsmys: First, start off by wearing a comfortable sweatshirt and some sweatpants – they don’t necessarily have to match, but if you’re a fashionista, why not?
Next, set up the taco station: add some taco shells, minced tomatoes, lettuce, cooked ground meat, sour cream, cheese, and any other toppings you’d like.
Finally, set out the snacks: Grab a snack bowl for each member of the Cozy Friday crew (such as this one) and mix your favorite sweet and salty snacks. If you want to do Fredagsys like a real Swede, don’t forget to add a bar of Marabou chocolate.
Loungewear set // Colorful snack bowls // Taco kit // Snack kit // Chocolate Kex candy
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Ísbíltúr
Origin: Iceland
Translation: Ice cream road trip (Ice cream run)
What it means: Did you know? There are more ice-cream shops in Reykjavík than there are public thermal baths. Even though it can reach -30 C in the winter, this doesn’t stop Icelanders from eating their beloved ice cream. So much so that they have invented a word for it!
Ísbíltúr, literally translated, means an ice cream road trip — ísbúð means ice cream shop, and bíltúr means road trip. The concept is easy: All you have to do is grab a few friends, jump in the car, and take a mini-road trip to everyone’s favorite ice cream store or dairy shop.
How to Ísbíltúr: If you’re in Iceland, I recommend checking out Ísbúð Vesturbæjar, Valdís, or Joylato (for vegans). If you’re doing the Golden Circle tour, definitely don’t miss Efstidalur II, which is a 90 kilometer (1 hour) drive from Reykjvik. It was the best homemade and organic ice cream I’ve ever had!
If you can’t buy a ticket to Iceland, you can still do Ísbíltúr at home! Just grab the car (or bus) and head over to your favorite ice cream store. If you have a lot of friends or family, you can even plan one day of the month to go to the store, have everybody pick out their favorite ice cream, and do an “ice cream potluck” at home.
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Lykke
Origin: Danish
Translation: Happiness
What it means: Literally – happiness!
As mentioned before, the Danes really know a thing or two about being happy – they’ve even built an entire concept around the word Lykke. One Dane in particular, Meik Wiking, took this one step further and founded the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he travels around the world for work to study other cultures’ meaning of happiness. The book is a fantastic read and perfect for travelers (so much wanderlust!) and breaks down lykke into 6 easy to understand pillars: togetherness, money, health, freedom, trust, and kindness.
How to apply it to your life: By improving one area of your life, you can improve your happiness. Some of the examples include eating together more often (togetherness), choosing experiences over things (money), and doing small acts of kindness.
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Fika
Origin: Swedish
Translation: Coffee break
What it means: The act of Fika is one of Sweden’s national icons, like ABBA or Zlatan Ibrahimović. This simple act of taking a coffee break is great for the mind, body, and soul – and it’s one of the reasons why Swedish workplaces are so productive and happy!
I’ve never done a fikapaus (coffee break) before I started working at my Swedish newspaper, and I was really missing out.
When I asked my Swedish coworkers how to do fika the right way, they mentioned that fika isn’t just a simple coffee break, but rather a daily reminder to slow down and get back in touch with your mind and body. Take time to smell the coffee and taste the different aromas and beans, bite into that cookie or pastry and savor the flavor, and be mindful of the entire experience.
How to apply it to your life: The next time you need a mid-day break at work (or in general!), head over to a cafe — either your favorite or somewhere new — order a coffee, and enjoy the atmosphere. Or call up a friend you haven’t seen in a while and meet up with them!
The Art of Fika book // Fika Time cup // Swedish Coffee // The Little Book of Fika
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Sauna
Origin: Finnish
Translation: No literal translation; a sauna is a hot room with steam where people go to relax
What it means: Former Finnish presidents used to hold important meetings in this room; 99% of Finns take at least one a week; and there are even special steam boxes where spectators can watch ice hockey from in stadiums. That’s right — it’s a sauna!
The only Finnish word to make it into everyday English is “sauna,” and for good reason. Saunas are one of the most important things in a Finnish person’s life, and most Finns go to a sauna at least once a week. The concept is fairly simple: all you need to do is change into your swimsuit, grab a blanket, and enjoy the steam. There are hundreds of different saunas around the world, including wet saunas, dry saunas, hammams, aromatherapy saunas, infrared saunas, and so much more.
The benefits of saunas include reduced stress, better sleep, cleaner skin, lower risk of catching a cold, and can even reduce the chance of getting Alzheimer’s!
How to apply it to your life: The easiest way of trying a sauna is to find a spa nearby that has sauna or steam rooms — I also like to check Groupon and see if there are discounts. :)
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Friluftsliv
Origin: Norwegian
Translation: “Free air life”
What it means: It’s no secret that Norwegians love their nature: almost 40% of the country is covered in forest, and the great outdoors are ingrained in the culture.
Friluftsliv, which means free air life, is a simple concept that was coined more than 150 years ago (!) and means the mindful connection between people and nature.
Studies have found that more time spent in nature is important for mental health, and leads to lower levels of stress, increased happiness, and overall better health (i.e. lower blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension).
How to apply it to your life: The only necessary step you need in order to experience friluftsliv is to go outside, whether it’s to the park, on a hike, a stroll through the forest, or even a simple walk around the neighborhood. This is one of my favorite ways to improve my mood (and get new ideas) – and I’m sure it’ll be yours too! Let me know in the comments if it works. :)
Friluftsliv: Reconnect with Nature Book // Hiking backpack // Hiking shoes
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That’s all for today’s post! Did you find any philosophies that you want to add to your life? Let me know in the comments below! If you want to learn more about the Scandinavian way of life, I also recommend these books :)
The Ultimate Guide to Scandinavian Ways of Living a Balanced Life // The Nordic Theory of Everything // The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu // There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids
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Photo credits: Hygge – Stella Rose // Lykke – Lidya Nada // Ísbíltúr – Brooke Lark // Sauna — Pinterest // Friluftsliv – Kermit Nicou //
