Fika? There is only one answer...

The answer is YES. As a Swede, you know what Fika is. Unfortunately, others don't always know how important it is to a Swede. One clue is that Swedes drink the most coffee per capita, second only to Finns. So what is fika? It is not just a cup of coffee, although it does happen, when it is done at the lowest level of ambition. Fika means important socialising. Where you maintain your relationships and exchange experiences and thoughts. And enjoy being together;-)

A drastic example was when 9-11 happened in the US. It was chaos. Real chaos. So what did the Swedish consulate in New York do? Well, they decided to have a coffee. To calm down and collect themselves, so they acted in the best possible way when they started taking measures. Perhaps this is also an example of the Swedish word lagom.

What does lagom mean? Well, that it is neither too little nor too much. It is just right. This is a general principle in Sweden. No exaggeration. You should not stand out too much. Even though Swedes stand out in some comparisons. For example, we are very keen on our independence. At the same time, we have more trust in the state than many other countries...

Back to Fika. When you have a fika, there are at least two of you. Njaaa. Sometimes you have a coffee by yourself, of course, but it's not the same thing. You have coffee at home, at work, in cafés, in the forest, after a christening, after a funeral, etc. It's a small moment of celebration. All you need is coffee and something else. A cake. A sandwich. Sometimes you go all out. Then there are many cakes and tarts.
Now there is even a book called "Fika" in English and soon in Swedish. The book covers more or less everything about Fika. Author Stina Almroth has done a great job. The book is a perfect gift for anyone who wants to learn more about Swedish culture. What's more, the book is fancy.