Swedish Fika

Wise men say "You can't buy happiness but you can buy coffee which is pretty close".

Fika is the Swedish word for a coffee break, which involves mingling and socializing with people over a cup of coffee. This is mostly accompanied with cinnamon buns and cookies. 

Just like the French have their wine, the British have their tea, for Swedes, it's all about "fika". Swedes and coffee are two things that go hand in hand and the fika culture makes Sweden a favorite destination on a coffee lover's list.

Sweden is one among the world's leading coffee consuming nations and fika is a very popular term here. This is probably one of the few things one notices about Swedes right after their courteous nature.

The use of the word "fika" first appeared in 1913. Grammatically the word can be used both as a noun (a coffee break) and as a verb (having coffee).

The fika culture was a new revelation when I came to Sweden but now it has become very much a part of my life. Though tea is my first love but I am totally in awe of the Fika culture. I have friends who can't go without coffee and then there are few fellow mates who are gradually getting to love Fika or should I say that coffee love is gradually sinking in?

Fika is much more than having a coffee. This is the mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee break which gives a moment for quality time with family, friends and colleagues. Fika mainly includes kanelbulle which is a traditional Swedish cinnamon bun. The love for kanelbulle is so much that Swedes have a day dedicated to it called Kanelbullens dag (Cinnamon Bun Day) celebrated on October 4th.

To conclude if you want break from your hectic life, it's always a good time for a fika and as the saying goes "Everything gets better with a cup of coffee".