Tag: culture

April, April! You stupid herring!

Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

april-fools-day-2015

Playing April Fool’s jokes on each other on the first of April is a tradition in many countries – Sweden included. In fact it is an old tradition – the oldest written reference being in 1392 in Chaucer’s ‘The Cantebury Tales’.

In Sweden, when someone is tricked, the tradition is to say ‘April, April din dumma sill!‘. This translates as ‘April, April you stupid herring!’. This is however not as weird as it might sound. In many countries, such as Italy, France and Holland, April 1st is known as “April fish”. On this day, people try to attach paper fish onto the backs of their victims.

April Fool’s pranks are common in newspapers, with classics such as:

  • IKEA is getting into the airline business. Furnishing all the flights with Ikea furniture, the name of the airline is FLYKEA.
  • Swedish supermarket chain ICA introduced toothpaste with the taste of chocolate. It might be brown, but it makes your teeth white.
  • Burger King introduced a new burger for left-handed people where ingredients were rotated 180 degrees.

I had a look this morning at the media to see if I could identify any April Fools tricks and I found one! A paper in northern Sweden reported that it had found a leaked document from the Swedish Armed Forces, revealing that Sweden is to receive its first moose cavalry. No animal is better suited for battle than the king of the forest, the newspaper claims. An AI image also shows armed soldiers riding moose!

 

It’s Fat Tuesday – Swedish style!

Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

Today it’s ‘Fat Tuesday’ in Sweden, known as Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras around the world.

While in the UK we eat pancakes (today is even called Pancake Day) and in Latin America they scoff down fried bread, Swedes celebrate by eating the traditional cream Lent bun – the ‘semla’. 40 million of them every year! I’m also clearly going to indulge. In fact, my mouth is watering just writing this post.

The semla is a creamy bun filled with delicious almond paste. Traditionally, they were only eaten in Sweden to commemorate the start of Lent and the great Fast, leading up to Easter. In the south of Sweden, they still refer to them as ‘fastlagsbullar’ – Shrovetide buns. Nowadays however, semlas are usually sold anytime between Christmas and Easter.

I just love them. I could eat a barrel load. But I’d end up looking like a barrel if I did. I love the taste of them, and the feeling of luxurious indulgence. I also love the knowledge that as you take a bite into a creamy semla, you are biting into over 500 years’ history of Scandinavian baking.

The word ‘semla’ comes from the Latin ‘simila’ which means fine flour and originally referred just to the bun without any filling. As long ago as the 1500’s, bakers started to hollow out the middle of the bun and fill it with cream and butter. As ingredients became more available, bakers started adding almond and cardemon and the type of semla that we know today developed towards the end of the 1800’s. After rationing of sugar and dairy products ceased at the end of WW2, the semla took off and became very popular.

Newspapers often have the ‘Semla of the Year’ award, and nominate the best semla in town. Consequently, Swedes flock like sugar-addicted lemmings to the winning bakery, and you can stand in a queue for an hour to get your hands on one, if you haven’t ordered in advance.

Nowadays the semla trend has reached new heights. Every year bakers around the country try to launch new types of semla, with their own spin on it -for example, the semla wrap, the semla burger, the semla layer cake, the semla cocktail, semla ice cream, semla nachos, semla langos, the chocolate semla, the vanilla semla, the lactose-free, gluten-free vegan semla. In 2021, the gross-sounding fermented Baltic herring semla was revealed.

But I’m a traditionalist in this matter. Give me a classic round fluffy cardemon-scented wheat bun brimming over with whipped cream and almond paste.

And give it to me NOOOOWWW!!!

Odd Swedish names

Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

Ok, I know that English has quite a lot of funny names such as Dick and Willy, but Sweden also has its fair share.

Here come the top 10 hysterical and odd names that people in Sweden actually have.

  • 1. Gun. A popular name of over 18000 women in Sweden. Not bad for a pacifist country
  • 2. Jerker. Seriously. A man’s name, and also the name of a piece of furniture at IKEA.
  • 3. Saga. Ugly when pronounced in English, this name for a woman actually means ‘fairy tale’.
  • 4. Odd. An odd one this. A name owned currently by 735 men in Sweden.
  • 5. Even. Interestingly, the name Even also exists. Odd and Even would make a well-balanced coupled wouldn’t they?
  • 6. Love. It’s true. You could fall in love with a Swedish boy called Love.
  • 7. Ninni. A name of a Swedish woman. Although it means ‘an idiot’ in English, I assume all Ninnis in Sweden are not stupid.
  • 8. Knut. An unfortunate name that, at best, gets pronounced as nut, and at worst gets the letters mixed up to mean something altogether more rude
  • 9. Tintin. Yeah, it’s true. There are many people in Sweden, both male and female, who have this name. Over 500 to be more precise.
  • 10. Titti. This has to be the queen of all unfortunate Swedish names. 1024 women in Sweden currently bear this name with pride.

    • Sweden – a peaceful society awash with violence

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Yesterday in the town of Örebro in Sweden, 10 people were killed in a despicable school shooting. While this kind of attack is rare in Sweden, it follows a rapidly escalating period of terrible bombings, gang shootings and other hate crimes in society. In 2025, so far, there has been at least one crime of this type reported on the news every day.

    Politicians, police and the population in general are devastated. It seems like authorities have lost control, and it is not easy to fix, as it has been going on a long time. However, it is resolvable – with the right strategies and the right investments.

    I was curious on how AI might solve the problem, so I asked the question. And this is what I got. Definitely food for thought, and many good suggestions for concrete action.

    Stopping a wave of shootings and bombings requires a multi-layered approach that addresses both immediate threats and the deeper causes of violence. Here are some key strategies:

    1. Immediate Security Measures

    • Increase Law Enforcement Presence: Deploy more police in high-risk areas to deter attacks.

    • Improve Intelligence Gathering: Strengthen surveillance, monitoring of extremist groups, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies.

    • Gun and Explosive Control: Tighten regulations on firearms, ammunition, and bomb-making materials.

    2. Addressing Root Causes

    • Social and Economic Programs: Address poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunities that may push individuals toward violence.

    • Education and Awareness: Promote education programs that counter radicalization and teach conflict resolution.

    • Mental Health Support: Provide access to counseling and mental health services to identify and assist individuals at risk.

    • De-radicalization Programs: Engage with communities to rehabilitate individuals influenced by extremist ideologies.

    3. Political and Legal Reforms

    • Strengthen Laws Against Violence: Enforce strict penalties for illegal weapons possession, terrorist activities, and hate crimes.

    • Promote Dialogue and Mediation: Encourage political and community leaders to engage in discussions that prevent extremism and violence.

    • Fight Corruption: Ensure law enforcement and government agencies operate transparently to maintain public trust.

    4. Long-Term Cultural Shifts

    • Promote Nonviolence and Tolerance: Through media, education, and religious institutions, promote peaceful coexistence.

    • Strengthen Community Bonds: Encourage local communities to work together in preventing violence.

    • Regulate Social Media Misinformation: Work with tech companies to prevent the spread of extremist propaganda.

    A society that combines strong security measures with social reforms and long-term cultural changes has the best chance of stopping a wave of shootings and bombings.

    The streets and squares of Sweden: Birger Jarlsgatan

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    You can learn a lot about a culture from the names of its streets and squares. From heros, to events, and significant dates, you often find cultural concepts immortalised in the names the citizens choose to give their roads. This is my next series of posts – the streets and squares of Sweden.

    First out – Birger Jarlsgatan, a major road cutting through the center of Stockholm. The word ‘gata’ means street.

    But who then was Birger Jarl?

    Birger Jarl was a Swedish statesman, and later regent, who played an important role in the consolidation of Sweden. He lived 1210-1266 and is attributed with the foundation of Stockholm. He was a significant character in Sweden’s history.

    Not only is he commemorated with his own street, but he also has his own city square, decorated with a bronze statue of the man himself.

    Additionally, Sweden’s most well known cenotaph – outdoors at the foot of the tower at Stockholm City Hall – was intended to hold his remains when it was built in 1923. However, the local parish in Vadstena refused to release them. So, the grand sarcophagus has remained empty – unlike the street that bears his name and is one of the busiest in the city.

    Birger Jarlsgatan.

    Sweden’s Christmas tree piles

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Soon Christmas is officially over in Sweden – the 13 January being the proper last day. Some people, however, already start clearing out Christmas before that. This is evident from the piles of used Christmas trees that appear on the streets all around town.

    The discarded Christmas trees are gathered by the local councils and burned to provide heating. About 3 million Christmas trees are estimated to be discarded in Sweden. The heat generated from these is calculated to heat up 1200 houses per year.

    Thirteenth Day in Sweden

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Today, 6 January, is a national holiday in Sweden and in many places around the world. In Sweden, not a lot happens on this day – it is just another day off. If it lands on a weekend, the bank holiday is forfeited, unlike in many other countries where the following Monday is taken off in lieu.

    So what does the 6 January celebrate?

    In orthodox churches, the 6 January is celebrated as the day of Jesus’ birth.

    In western Christianity, the 6 January notes the arrival of the three wise men (the magi) to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus in his cradle. These wise men are said to represent the three continents of Europe, Africa and Asia.

    In Eastern Christianity, today celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river and his manifestation to the world as the son of God.

    January 6 also commemorates the legend of the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus exercised his divinity by turning water into wine.

    Epiphany

    In English, today is called Epiphany – which comes from the Greek word ἐπιφάνεια, epipháneia, meaning ‘manifestation’ or ‘appearance’. It is derived from the verb φαίνειν, phainein, meaning “to appear”. It signifies the day when Jesus first appeared to the Gentiles, in his cradle.

    In the practical language of Swedish, there is no reference to manifesting or appearing. Today is given the name of Trettondag Jul (Thirteenth Day Yule) – literally thirteen days after Christmas Eve.

    Advent Calendar – Dec 24: Kalle Anka

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Window 24. As I am following the Swedish system of advent calendars, today is the last window, not the 25th as in the UK. So here is the final word: Kalle Anka. This is the Swedish name for Donald Duck – a Disney character with a strong, and unexpected, connection to Swedish Christmas.

    Traditional Christmas celebrations on Christmas Eve in Sweden get off to a slow start. It all begins with a Christmas breakfast, consisting of rice porridge, wort bread, ham and Christmas cheese, amongst other things. After breakfast, some people go for a walk, some go to church, others begin the preparation for the Christmas julbord (buffet).

    When to eat julbord differs from family to family. For some, it’s at lunch time, for others it more towards late afternoon. One surprising time marker is Kalle Anka (Donald Duck).

    Every Christmas Eve since 1960, the Disney show ‘From All of Us to All of You’ featuring Donald Duck and his friends has been broadcasted on Swedish television at 3pm (now 3.05pm). Every single year. A very weird tradition for someone like me who grew up listening to the Queen’s speech on Christmas Day at 3pm. In the UK we have the monarch. In Sweden, Donald Duck.

    So the discussion in Swedish homes is ‘should we eat before or after Kalle?’.

    Today, Kalle Anka is watched as a sentimental tradition, or as background noise on Christmas Eve. But in the 1960’s when it began, it was the only time of the year that cartoons were shown on tv, so it was a Christmas treat. Since it’s been broadcast for almost 60 years, it is an integral part of what many Swedes associate with Christmas.

    After Kalle Anka och julbord, it’s time for a visit from Tomten with gift-giving. This is followed usually by more food and drink. Some people conclude the day with a Midnight service at their local church.

    Christmas is, like many places around the world, a time of overconsumption. Enormous amounts of food are left over and eaten during the following days.

    In Sweden, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both Public holidays – and the official end of Christmas is January 13th. Then it is time to traditionally throw out the Christmas tree. The lights in the windows have usually disappeared by February.

    And as the daylight slowly returns to Sweden, people start planning for the lighter and warmer time of the year. And Christmas fades into memory…until next December.

    Advent Calendar – Dec 23: Dan före dopparedan

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Window 23. Today’s words are ‘Dan före dopparedan‘ – which translate somewhat curiously as ‘the day before dipping day’. Or, the day before Christmas.

    I always thought that the name ‘dopparedan’ (dipping day) for Christmas Eve was somehow a reference to John the Baptist.

    But I was wrong.

    It actually comes from the Medieval Swedish tradition of dipping and drenching bread in the stock juices in which the Christmas ham has cooked, and eating it.

    This traditional practice is called ‘dopp i grytan’ and originated in agricultural communities. People dipped their bread as a little snack while they made final preparations for the celebrations later in the evening. Some people still do this today.

    Because Christmas Eve was called ‘dopparedagen’, the 23rd Dec became known as ‘dan före dopparedan’ – the day before the day of dipping bread.

    Today’s ‘dan före dopparedan’ is more to do with making the final stressful arrangements for tomorrow. Final baking is done, last-minute Christmas presents are bought, a visit to Systembolaget (alcohol shop) is made. Long queues are to be expected.

    And then, darkness and calmness descends over homes all around the country. The evening before Christmas Eve is called ‘uppersittarkväll’ and Swedish families traditionally gather to wrap presents, participate in tv bingo, play games and write Christmas present rhymes.

    It is also the evening when traditionally people put up final decorations and dress the Christmas tree, although this happens earlier for many families.

    Once everything is finalized, hopefully there is a moment of relaxation to be had with a glass of warm glögg and a pepparkaka.

    And then, it’s time to head off to bed in anticipation for the big day tomorrow – dipping day!

    Advent Calendar – Dec 22: Tomten

    Posted on by Neil Shipley's watching the Swedes

    Window 22. Today’s word is ‘Tomten‘ – who is the Swedish equivalent of Santa Claus.

    Around the world, Santa is based on the mythology of St Nikolas – the Greek/Turkish patron saint who’s legend morphed in the USA from the Dutch immigrants’ Sinterklaas to the jolly figure who rewards good children that we see today.

    The Swedish symbol of Tomten is partially based on St Niklas and the American depiction of Santa Claus. However, he is also based on a goat and a mythical sprite.

    Let’s travel back to rural Sweden hundreds of years ago. Here, in the countryside, Tomten was a kind of sprite (hob, gnome, pixie) who lived on the farm and made sure that the farm had good luck.

    Tomten was described as a little man, dressed in sackcloth and with a beard. He usually lived in the barn and was shy, mischievous, and irritable – and also vengeful. To keep Tomten happy, the farmer would leave out rice porridge for him to eat – a food that became known as ‘tomtegröt’ and that is still eaten for Christmas breakfast in Sweden today.

    With industrialization in the late 1800’s, Sweden started to become inspired by the German St Nicholas, and in modern minds he merged with the rural sprite to become ‘jultomte’ – the gift-bearing sprite.

    Popular Christmas cards by Swedish artist Jenny Nyström depicted this new version of Tomten in 1874 and strongly influenced the Swedish way of seeing jultomte. He was dressed in red hat, with a fluffy white beard. He is also seen to have many little helpers – known as ‘tomtenissar’ (a kind of elf).

    And in 1881, a poem by Viktor Rydberg called ‘Tomten’ strongly cemented his transformation and associated the figure with mid-winter and Christmas time.

    Prior to this concept of Jultomte/Tomten, gifts were brought in Sweden by the Christmas goat. Straw goats are still a part of Christmas decorations in Sweden and can be found hanging in Christmas trees or standing at the foot of the tree.

    In Sweden today, Tomten arrives on Christmas Eve, usually in the late afternoon. He delivers gifts to families, usually with the introduction of ‘Ho, Ho, Ho are there any good children here?’

    Strangely, he always seems to arrive just when a member of the family (often dad) has gone out to the shops or gone for a walk.