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SWEDISH TRADITIONS

Why do Swedes care so much about butter knives?

Have you ever wondered what's behind the Swedish fondness for the wooden butter knife?

Published: 26 May 2021 16:53 CEST
Updated: 24 May 2023 10:15 CEST
Why do Swedes care so much about butter knives?
What is it about the 'smörkniv' that so captures the Swedish imagination? Photo: Leif R Jansson/TT

Almost every Swedish households will have several of these in their cutlery drawer, and if you go to a souvenir shop you’re bound to see plenty of them, perhaps with an elk or Viking decoration carved into the handle.

Dairy in general, including butter, plays a big part in the Swedish diet – although it only became really accessible to the majority after the Second World War – so the knife is often used to spread butter or Bregott (an oil-based spread) on crisp bread (knäckebröd) or open sandwiches (smörgåsar).

The Swedish butter knife (smörkniv) doesn’t have a blade but is rounded for ease of spreading. So what is it that makes them such a beloved symbol of Swedish culture?

When I asked about the butter knife on Twitter, it was clear a lot of people have strong opinions. Some said that the use of wood rather than metal made it distinctly Swedish, and that it did the job better than other materials.

People from nearby countries, namely Finland, Norway and Estonia, jumped in to say they also have wooden butter knives – and that one reason they’re so close to people’s hearts is that it’s a typical early woodwork or handicraft project in schools. 

Others agreed with me that the Swedes can’t claim the butter knife as unique.

But maybe it’s not the shape or material of the knife that makes it so Swedish, but rather the way it’s used. The Local’s writer Richard Orange argued that the Swedishness of the butter knife is the way one knife is used by everyone at the table (and that people who keep it on their plate are committing a huge faux pas). In that way, it shows the value placed on collectivism in Sweden.

Either way, it’s not the only dairy utensil that there’s a Nordic complex over.

Swedes can be equally protective of their cheese cutters (osthyvel), a tool for getting thin, even slices of cheese, and woe betide the person who uses them incorrectly, leaving a “ski slope” (skidbacke) in the cheese.

Member comments

  1. Let’s hear what you think! Is there something special about the Swedish smörkniv, or maybe another seemingly mundane item that sums up Sweden to you?

  2. Aren’t many things found in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, probably including wooden butter knives, of Swedish origin, delivered or left behind by harbor raiders and inland invaders, I.e. “Vikings”?

  3. This article was great! Butter knives can be found in all cultures, but I think the Scandinavians have made the butter knife an essential kitchen utensil. So much so that they can not think of using anything else with which to spread their butter. As an immigrant to Sweden, I was fascinated with this and so I started to make butter knives, but with my own design and style. I make mine in porcelain and decorate them with various fun designs under different names for each range because butter knives do not have to be boring 🙂

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For members

SWEDISH TRADITIONS

EXPLAINED: The history (and controversy) behind Sweden’s national folk costume

The Swedish national folk costume worn by Queen Silvia on National Day has gained popularity over the past few decades. The blue and yellow dress, however, has a peculiar - and controversial - history.

Published: 6 June 2024 16:05 CEST
EXPLAINED: The history (and controversy) behind Sweden's national folk costume

The Swedish national folk costume (Sverigedräkten) has seen a resurgence in popularity over the past few decades.

You can see it often – during festive occasions, in popular culture (such as movies depicting Sweden), and on teachers who wear it for graduations.

Furthermore, Sweden’s Queen Silvia dons the national folk costume (virtually) every year on National Day, often in the company of other royal family members who do the same, such as Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Madeleine, and Princess Estelle.

Judging by the frequently positive (international media) attention this attracts, one would think that the national costume’s roots are well-grounded in history and tradition.

However, the reality is that the Swedish national costume is neither ancient nor traditionally Swedish.

Its roots trace back to the early 20th century, to a time when nationalism was booming.

The work of a controversial designer

The costume was designed by Märta Jörgensen, a designer who drew inspiration from local Sörmland (an area on the southeastern coast of Sweden) costumes to create a practical, everyday dress for Swedish women.

Her goal was to foster a sense of national pride and provide an alternative to the restrictive, expensive, and hard-to-clean European fashion of the time.

Jörgensen’s nationalist enthusiasm extended beyond fashion; she was active in a fascist movement called Swedish Opposition (Svensk Opposition) that later evolved into the far-right New Swedish Movement (Nysvenska rörelsen).

The costume experienced a revival during the 1970s’ “green wave,” a period marked by a restored interest in folk culture and craftsmanship in Sweden.

In the late 1970s, the Nordic Museum reintroduced the dress at an exhibition, sparking new interest once again.

Yet, it wasn’t until Queen Silvia wore it in the early 1980s, coinciding with the official designation of June 6th as Sweden’s National Day, that the costume truly gained traction and prominence.

The question of why Sweden celebrates its National Day on June 6th is harder to answer than you might think. The Local has a detailed explainer that delves into the question.

Today, the costume such a mainstay of popular culture that you’ll often see young people wearing it on social media.

What do experts think?

Despite its royal endorsement, the costume remains contentious among experts.

Ulla Centergran, an ethnologist and researcher, told the newspaper Aftonbladet in 2022 that the costume lacked traditional roots and was created from flag fabric, which some find trivial compared to Sweden’s rich collection of over 600 village costumes.

However, Centergran made a positive comment about the royal family’s choice to wear the costume on National Day, describing the choice as both practical and symbolic.

“It fits well that they are dressed in the Swedish flag; who should be dressed in the Swedish flag if not the royal family?” the researcher said.

READ MORE: Why does secular Sweden have so many religious public holidays?

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