Sweden
Cozy Friday: The Power of Fredagsmys
No matter where you are in Sweden, come Friday night sofa cushions are being fluffed up, bowls are filled with snacks, takeout is ordered and remote controls are ready to channel hop.
No, Swedes aren’t just lounging around with friends, they are celebrating Fredagsmys.
Roughly translated, Fredagsmys means “Cozy Friday.” That is exactly what it is.
Fredagsmys is a nice, relaxed evening in with family and friends. There is always food, and everyone gathers to chat about the week that has gone by. Basically Sweden has come up with a way for you to stuff your face without anyone judging you – and we love it!
While the preparation for Fredagsmys can begin with grocery trips earlier in the week to stock up, generally a good Fredagsmys starts with getting home from work, changing into something a bit more comfortable (a onesie will do), plopping down on your couch and ordering some takeout. As the food arrives, your friends or family might swing by in their comfortable clothes, and you can all dive in. After the takeout is finished, the snacks come out. Snacks generally include potato chips, ice cream, soda and sweets.
Once the snacks are in place, everyone curls up in front of the television and watches the best Swedish TV. A bottle of wine or a few beers often are brought into the mix to get everyone even more relaxed and in a good mood. Often extra beds and blankets are put out for those who fall asleep and end up spending the night.
This Friday tradition was established in the 1990s with the aim to bring families and friends together over the weekend. Many people however, believe that it is just a marketing ploy for snack and candy companies. Since its inception Fredagsmys has been used in advertising campaigns for the snack food company OLW. The commercials to this day remain so popular that you’d be hard pressed to find a Swede unable to sing along to the campaign’s jingle.
It’s easy to see why Swedes love this tradition as it takes the pressure off of going out after work on Friday and gives them a chance to relax after a long week of work. It also brings family together like no other tradition in Sweden. Being so simple makes this end-of-week ritual accessible to everyone no matter what your finances, religion, age or gender.
In 2007, the word Fredagsmys was even put in the Swedish dictionary to the delight of many Swedes. The tradition is becoming so popular that many grocery stores and restaurants have come up with specials or even gone as far as to raise their prices on Friday evenings.
Overall this tradition is one of the coolest in all Europe, and we hope it moves out of Sweden to other parts of the world. Who couldn’t do with a few glasses of wine, delicious pizza and ice cream after a long week of work? Add into the mix an excuse to hang out with a few of your favorite people, and Fredagsmys makes us wish everyday was a Swedish “Cozy Friday.”
