2019 – A year in review: what do coffee, dogs and mambo have in common?

There is probably only one nation in the world that celebrates the New Year like this!

Wait, how? Right before the clock turns midnight, people get on their chairs and couches.

At the stroke of midnight, they all jump off of them and land on the floor in style. What a great way to welcome the New Year, huh? They literally jump forward into the New Year.

Tradition says that by doing this you get away with all the evil spirits, who are left behind in the old year.

By the way, they are the Danes. Good for them! And well-done, we’d say!

We took the inspiration from this Danish tradition and want to show you what we leave behind in 2019.

So, we decided to make a review of the last year of the (virtually) past decade, the glorious 2010s.

Here are the Top-10 most popular Nordic stories we sent in our newsletter and published on our blog during the last 12 months. Enjoy the ride!

#10. Spending less with a köpstopp, in Swedish style! Most people struggle to put an end to their consumerism. But the Swedes have their way. It is a matter of choice and limits. Read more.

#9. Skogluft: the new Scandi wellness trend. We all love nature but sometimes we cannot visit it very often. We may live in urban areas away from forests and trees. There is a way according to this Norwegian trend. Read more.

#8. Latte dads: a story of gender equality from Sweden. Children are a shared responsibility. Moms and dads are equally in charge of their toddlers’ upbringing. And it’s not bad to be a latte dad either. Read more.

#7. 5 Danish traits you should embrace to improve your life. No, it’s not only about hygge. The Danes also have other traits (if we can talk about such) that will surprise you. Read more.

#6. Job interview in Denmark: You want the job? No need to prove it! They say Danish employees are like cats. But what happens with job interviews? It’s a new kind of experience. Read more.

Off to our Top-5 now!

#5. Work in Denmark: 5 myths VS Danish reality. What is there to expect from working with the Danes? Are there any Denmark-specific habits or norms? Read more.

#4. Koselig: how the Norwegians reinvented hygge. Norwegians invented hygge. Or not? So, how did they reinvent it? What is kos? Read more.

#3. Sweden’s dog culture: a story of equality and lagom. Sweden is the land of equality. In everything. Including pets. Read more.

#2. Housing in Sweden: a story of co-living, co-housing and… mambo. Swedes are creative. And efficient. They like to do things differently and find solutions to problems. Here is how they reinvented housing! Read more.

OK, we know you are super excited about this. And you may need a drink. But make a coffee instead, we would suggest.

Because the most popular story of 2019 was about the coffee culture in Finland!

The Finns say that cold coffee makes you beautiful. Maybe this was the reason why this story broke all traffic records over the last year.

Sip your coffee slowly and read the full story.

Let the Finnish sisu guide you all the way to 2020 and the new decade.

And when the clock strikes midnight tonight, jump off of a chair or couch for good luck!

Image: Niclas Jessen / VisitDenmark