Colors of Kalmar - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Kalmar is a city with a rich history. In the past, it played an important role in protecting the region from foreign invaders. Kalmar was also an important center of trade because the city was a popular transportation gateway in sea transit. Nowadays, this is a relatively small city with a population of a bit more than thirty thousand people. Glorious military past has made its impact on the character of local people. They are very proud of their home city and try to take care of it. This is the reason why Kalmar is so clean and tidy. There is no litter on the streets, all backyards have cute decorations, and old houses are carefully restored.

Accuracy, scrupulosity, and calmness are among the main traits of the Swedes’ national character. Perhaps, you might consider them too restrained and a bit boring, but these are cordial people who are friendly and sympathetic. They are always ready to help and answer all questions. But when treating others, tourists included, with tolerance and politeness, residents of Kalmar expect others to treat them accordingly. They detest noise and loud arguments in public areas, as well as disrespect to any group of people. Everyone is equal in Sweden. Punctuality is a key feature here – Swedes cannot stand someone being late.

There is an interesting Swedish tradition called “Fika”. It is a meeting with friends or family members that implies drinking coffee and eating desserts. Remarkably, this tradition is typical only in Sweden. Local people love coffee (the country is the second biggest consumer of coffee in the world) and a good company. If a Swede invites you to visit their home, don’t expect a true feast. Most probably, you will be offered tea and pies. This doesn’t mean that the host is greedy or doesn’t like you – feasts with multiple dishes are not common in Sweden. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Kalmar has an unusual structure - it is built on several big islands connected by numerous bridges. The total length of bridges in Kalmar is more than 6.5 thousand meters! Remarkably, every bridge has an owner among locals, so each bridge has a plate with the name of its owner. Local people enthusiastically take care of the infrastructure of the city, so all bridges are in a good condition. Some of them even have charming decorations.

Care for the environment is one more distinctive feature of residents of Sweden. The country has strict standards for factories and vehicles, garbage recycling plants and alternative energy sources. Kalmar also participates in the country’s movement for a cleaner environment. For example, there is a cargo carrier that limits its use of diesel fuel and steadily switches to biodiesel. Low energy light bulbs and special insulation of windows and ceilings have become typical in local houses. There are trash cans for different types of waste on the streets.

Just like in many European countries, Christmas is very popular in Sweden. For local people, this is primarily a family holiday. All members of a family gather at a big table, eat, talk, and have fun. Christmas feast is a good old tradition, but people usually do not cook food and prefer to order it in cafes and restaurants. Streets are decorated with garlands and ornaments, and a beautiful Christmas tree is installed on the main square. For Swedes, it is an inimitable symbol of the holiday and a tradition that they never break. Tourists can also feel the inimitable atmosphere of the holiday, visit thematic exhibitions, and buy interesting souvenirs at fair trade.

Midsummer or the day of the summer solstice is one more popular holiday in Sweden. As a rule, all locals participate in this holiday. They pick flowers and make circlets from them. These flower crowns and ribbons are then used as decorations for the Maypole that is erected in the center of the celebration area. Adults and children gather near the pole, play, dance, and sing around it. As a rule, Midsummer is mostly celebrated in smaller cities, so a vacation in Kalmar is an amazing opportunity to join the fun and get acquainted with Swedish culture.

Tourists will also find it interesting to visit the city of Borgholm that is located on Öland Island. It is easy to reach it from Kalmar via the Öland Bridge. Here, tourists can visit an authentic local holiday – Skordefest. This holiday is dedicated to harvesting. It is a wonderful opportunity to see interesting contests of farmers, the exhibition of the biggest vegetables grown, various festive performances, cooking master classes, and sampling national delicacies and traditional food. Needless to say, it is possible to purchase various locally sourced products at this event, as well as traditional Swedish delights, including seafood and game.