Friday Nights are for Fredagsmys

Friday nights in Sweden are for staying in and relaxing with friends and family. Swedes call it “fredagsmys”, or “Friday coziness”.

In general, the Swedish work ethic is incredibly strong and disciplined. Weeknights are reserved for more serious matters like tacking projects after work, or engaging in hobbies and activities that contribute to our overall wellbeing (such as playing music, participating in sports or studying), and are rarely spent watching TV or scrolling on social.

So when Friday nights roll around, it’s all about shaking the week off and enjoying some well deserved casual downtime at home. When I lived in Sweden, we always celebrated Shabbat on Friday nights, and the idea of clearly defining and respecting the culmination of the work week is similar. I always looked forward to Friday nights as a chance to exhale, light beautiful shabbat candles and enjoy great food and company (and still do today).

Winter is an especially perfect time to cultivating a practice of fredagsmys. Does it get any better than hanging with your favorite people around a wood-burning fire (I’m lucky to have one in Chicago), cuddled up with thick knit blanket, wearing your favorite sweats and sipping on hot cider?

Fun fact: I’m told that Tacos on Fridays have become popular similar to Tuesdays in the US.