Scandinavian Lifestyle

Inspiration for your Scandi-style life

What do you think of when you hear the term Scandinavian lifestyle? Most people probably associate it with idyllic scenery, vast nature, clean air, red wooden houses and friendly people. Of course, you can’t generalise about the inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries. But there are some concepts that are widespread in the north that you can incorporate into your everyday life if you like them.

Design, recipes and crime thrillers as cultural export hits?

Internationally renowned Scandinavians are not only design icons such as the Finnish couple Alvar and Aino Aalto, but also the royals from Sweden, Norway and Denmark. We also love their delicious cinnamon buns and Köttbullar, the famous Swedish crime novels and are familiar with the gods of Nordic mythology from pop culture.

Of course, “Scandinavian culture” is not homogeneous. This means that the countries – despite their similarities and historical ties – are different. The indigenous population of mainland Scandinavia, the Sami, have their own cultural traditions and customs.

The basic vocabulary of Scandinavian lifestyle trends

If you are interested in Scandinavian lifestyle trends, you will quickly come across a whole range of terms that are not immediately understandable if you do not speak any of the mainland Scandinavian languages. We explain the most important keywords for understanding Nordic design and the Scandinavian lifestyle here.

Hygge

The term hygge originally comes from “hegen” and means “to create well-being”. Sounds great, doesn’t it? The adjective hyggelig can be translated as“cosy“, “pleasant” and “nice”. Today, the term is known worldwide as a Danish stereotype. The Danish lifestyle is therefore centred on our sense of well-being – we should definitely take a leaf out of their book. So how about a cosy fika or a relaxing Finnish sauna?

Lagom

Lagom is a Swedish term – and typical of the mentality of northern Europeans. It means something like “neither too much nor too little” or “just right”. The Swedes apply it to many things: Lagom eating, lagom drinking and lagom living. Finding the right balance is an elementary part of the Scandinavian attitude to life and can also be recognised in Scandinavian design.

Friluftsliv

Friluftsliv – What may sound like a trendy new term to us is an integral concept in many Scandinavian cultures. In many families, it is practised from an early age. In concrete terms, this means that the relationship with nature is close and is maintained. Whether camping, a family cabin by a forest lake or skiing on the doorstep – outdoor activities and celebrations are a matter of course for many Scandinavians. And this is despite the fact, or perhaps precisely because, it is becoming increasingly difficult to live outdoors in the big cities.

Allemansrätten

Allemansrätten (sv.), or “everyman’s right”, describes the Scandinavians’ love of nature in their homeland a little more precisely. Among other things, it stands for permission to camp in the wild. What is forbidden in Germany and many other European countries is permitted in the Scandinavian countries (with the exception of Denmark) and is one of the favourite pastimes as soon as time and weather permit. In Finland, however, people also like to go to the sauna and then jump into the lake to cool off.

Culture & traditions

Celebrate the Lucia festival by candlelight, read a thriller over a cup of coffee or assemble an IKEA cupboard yourself? It’s definitely worth taking a look at the culture and traditions of the Scandinavians. Here you can find out more about the everyday habits and mentalities that characterise the Scandinavian lifestyle and, of course, what is worth copying.

The Swedish fika

Fika is the name given to the coffee break that Swedes take together every day. It is no longer just a cosy get-together with coffee and snacks, but has become a social institution. Whether with family, friends or work colleagues: Fika is an integral part of everyday (working) life. This tradition is worth it for the delicious fikabröd alone!

Find out all about the fika

The Scandinavian breakfast

A good start to the day – in Scandinavia, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Would you prefer a delicious, savoury rye bread with salmon and egg or a filling oatmeal with honey and berries? These traditional dishes from Nordic cuisine provide variety at the breakfast table.

Find traditional breakfast dishes here

Scandinavian series

Looking for material for your next series marathon? Scandinavian productions are currently booming on the streaming provider Netflix, but there are also some real insider tips on Amazon Prime. Between comedy, romance, thriller, fantasy and mystery, there is guaranteed to be a series for everyone. And you can learn a lot about the country and its people at the same time.

Find your new favourite series

Scandinavian crime thrillers

Scandinavian crime thrillers are perfect for a “hyggelig” afternoon and, above all, can do more than just “Swedish crime”: investigative stories with a goosebump factor also come from the other Nordic countries, many of which have now been made into films. After all, where better to find gruesome murder mysteries than in the darker regions of the north?

Discover Scandinavian crime thrillers

Scandinavian public holidays

Few holidays are as important in Scandinavia as Christmas and the Advent season. The contemplative festivities take place with the family and are associated with many special traditions. There are other holidays in Sweden, such as the well-known Lucia festival on 13 December or Midsummer in June. Of course, there is always the right food to go with it, which differs slightly from country to country.

More about Christmas in Scandinavia

Scandinavian names

Looking for a first name for your little one? Scandinavian names for children not only sound beautiful, they also stand out. Whether classic and traditional or modern and playful: We have compiled top lists – whether typical Nordic first names, Swedish first names, Danish first names, Norwegian first names, Finnish first names or Icelandic first names for girls and boys. Strong, old Norse Viking names are also very popular.

Here you can find inspiration to find your favourite and learn more about the meaning of the names at the same time. You can also read about the origins of Scandinavian surnames.