Over the weekend, I read this article about the Swedish term “Fredagsmys,” which translate to “Friday night coziness.”
Instead of partying, it encourages you to get as cozy as possible at the end of the week to unwind. Um- yes, please! Except, can I have Fredagsmys on Saturday?
This week, I had a very busy Friday, even working at night (which I hate!) and then I worked Saturday morning. When I got home, I put on my pajamas, plunked down on the couch, and got ready for an afternoon and evening of coziness- and laziness.
I took a couch nap and watched two football games. Since I wasn’t doing any cooking we ordered pizzas…
and yes, I did have a small regression. My Christmas pajamas were washed and ready to be packed away, but I snatched them out of the bin for one more weekend, because they’re SO comfortable and cheering.
After some serious relaxing on Saturday, I was up for a little more action Sunday. To keep the house from completely falling apart, I cleaned, did laundry, and went grocery shopping. But there was more football, so I broke out the new charcuterie board!
Just to clarify, this is all vegan! Here are some of the products I used:
I absolutely love this board- it even has little signs you can write on. I didn’t really NEED to label anything, but the signs were so cute I couldn’t resist.
Anyway, after a weekend spent largely in my pajamas, on the couch with my cat (where I belong) I was ready to go out into the world again on Monday.
Have you heard of “Fredagsmys?” Do you think it will become as popular as “hygge?”
What’s your favorite way to spend a Friday night?
28 Responses
I have not heard of the Fred-a-whatever’s, but I like it, especially in the dead of winter. I typically like to do something Friday evening, because I feel like that makes the weekend feel longer. As in, ‘I wake up and feel like Wow that was fun and I still have 2 days to weekend.’ We have Fri night bball games a lot, which I am down for. Also, I spend my week with tots and babies. I like to be social, so by Friday I am usually ready to connect with adults, or cheer for my kid while chatting with adults in the stands.
That said, I do enjoy a cozy evening at home with a few throw blankets and a movie. Or a family game. That pizza looks SO good. We do not eat out often and almost never order pizza. I love that your Christmas pjs got another wear.
You’re reminding me that when the kids were little, we frequently would go to the beach after school on Fridays, and stay until dark. It gave us the same feeling you’re describing- that was fun, and we still have an entire weekend ahead of us! So, there’s definitely something to be said for going out on a Friday night.
I’ve never heard of this term, Jenny–but you really show how it ought to be done! That pizza and charcuterie look awesome!
My only quibble is that it’s too Friday-specific–can the “gsmys” be for every day? (Also, I like saying “gsmys” a lot)
Yes, why does it have to be Friday? If I spoke Swedish I’m sure I could come up with a word for “Saturday coziness.”
It would be lordagsmys for Saturday ☺️
Oh, this is fantastic! I wasn’t familiar with Fredagsmys either—what a fabulous word!
In Switzerland, we use the term Fyrabig for the time after work. It’s a blend of Fyr (from the Latin feria, meaning celebration or holiday) and abig (evening). So every evening after work is like a little celebration.
Still, it doesn’t quite capture the same vibe as Fredagsmys. It definitely wins on coziness!
I like the idea of having a little celebration every day after work! Maybe the celebration could include snuggling on the couch with my cat… that way we could combine celebrating AND being cozy.
The Northern Europeans have the answer to everything. I haven’t heard of Fredagsmys but it’s very hygge! In 2020 I came across the term Friluftsliv, which is a Norwegian term for outdoor living no matter what the weather, and I embraced the hell out of that concept. There’s no bad weather, just bad clothes – it helped me get through the pandemic, honestly. And even though the weather is great here, I still think of Friluftsliv at least weekly. And of course the Danish have hygge, which is coziness, which I love. I am going to embrace Fredagsmys, it’s kind of what we do around here anyway!
I have had that nuts for cheese brand, it’s really good.
THis was our first time having that cheese, and it WAS very good.
I think I’ve heard of Friluftsliv- another great concept. Yes, the northern Europeans have nailed it.
LOVE this– what a great winter tradition. Also we wear Christmas PJ’s year round– why not?
Oh, don’t encourage me. I HAVE to put the Christmas pjs away soon- otherwise they won’t feel special in December (but now you have me questioning that reasoning… arg!)
I had never heard of Fredagsmys, but now that I have I’m a fan. If we have the kids we get pizza, and if we don’t it’s even money whether we go out or make something fun for dinner. After dinner we walk the dog, and after that we’re on the couch in front of the TV with adult beverages.
Ooh… couch… adult beverages… sounds amazing.
Jenny, THIS IS MY PERFECT FRIDAY and it is how we try to do every Friday night. We purposely never arrange anything out with friends etc on Friday night. The kids eat supper and then watch a movie together upstairs, and my husband and I have an “at-home” date night with our own meal in the basement usually watching a documentary. I love it so much.
And yes, I am always in PJs and there are cozy blankets and sometimes ice cream involved. It’s perfection.
With a Danish SIL I have heard a lot of Scandinavian terms (she’s the one who told me all about hygge before it was mainstream!), but this is a new one for me. Love it.
Elisabeth, it sounds like you’re already living “fredagsmys”- you don’t need a fancy word for it!
I play mah jongg every Friday and I’ve doing it since Nov. 2008!!
So you’re more in Catrina’s camp of “Fyrabig”- celebrations after work. Obviously you love this since you’re been doing it since 2008!
Fyrabig – love that.
Ha, it’s so cool that you ran into the concept of Fredagsmys! What they didn’t say in the article (but it’s possible I missed it since I only browsed through it) was that the term Fredagsmys was created by brands to sell crisps and/or taco products (I can’t remember now who started, Estrella or Old El Paso) through ads on TV. But still – fredagsmys, if we ignore the marketing, is a lovely concept. We have our own fredagsmys by having a glass of good whiskey first thing on Friday evening and then it’s movies and relax. I don’t mind going out for a gig either but I really like our relaxed Fridays at home!
Oh that’s funny- no that was NOT mentioned in the article!!! The article did talk a lot about tacos though, which I thought was a little odd. Good to have an insider’s scoop.
To my native-English speaking ways, fredagsmys looks like a term for an interesting sexual position. I’m not sure it’s going to catch on.
In my ideal world, I would order a pizza on Friday nights and read a book on the couch with my cat. I am usually EXHAUSTED by the time Friday night rolls around and the idea of leaving my house does not seem appealing. In my actual world, I end up cooking because pizza isn’t an option and by the time I clean up and walk the dog, I just go to bed. Rarely do I get actual Zelda time. It’s an exciting Friday night life that I have.
I love the concept of Fredagsmys and I am here for it! After a long work week, staying in on a Friday night is the best.
Your charcuterie board looks incredible — I gotta find that bacon!
I think I read that same article, maybe through a link on the cup of Jo blog? Or someone’s sub stack newsletter? Basically every weekend night is like that for us. It’s rare for us to be out and about in the evening. That’s one big benefit of having young kids. I was never good at going out late and partying! Paul has basketball on Friday nights now, though, so that will kind of throw things off. But Phil will mostly take him, and I’ll stay home with Taco. This past Friday night, when Paul and Phil went to basketball, taco and I cuddled up on the couch and watched despicable me together. It was lovely.
Your charcuterie board looks amazing. I’m most drawn to the cucumbers!!
ooh i love that Friday concept. One of the kids has a LATE gymnastics practice Friday (ends at 8:45) which really prevents me from settling in the way I’d want to which is totally alllll cozy and lazy and relaxed. Ahh well. a season for everything! (often my husband does this pickup but he can’t GUARANTEE it so I am sort of in limbo until ~8pm or whenever he knows he can do it!)
Friday nights we go out. For several years it was take out night, which started in 2020 to help restaurants survive the pandemic. Which got OLD. I mean, I enjoyed not cooking on Fridays, but take out isn’t the same as a restaurant. So now we go out. Our daughter works from home on Fridays, and does not want to put on makeup or do her hair, so she stays home and is cozy. Sometimes she has pizza, sometimes eggs and toast. Again, as long as I don’t have to cook, I’m good.
Your Fridays look perfect. My husband is going out with some friends this Friday, maybe my daughter and I will get pizza and watch a movie…
I have never heard of “Fredagsmys” but that is definitely my Friday night jam! Give me all the cozy jammies and the fuzzy blankets and curling up on the couch to read or watch a movie. We have had some days off lately and the highlights have definitely been snuggling on the couch with a book and then watching Gilmore Girls with my kid.
That weekend sounds lovely! In Norwegian the phrase is koselig, it’s like hygge, and actually sounds a lot like the word cozy so perhaps is the origin of the word?
That’s definitely how I like to spend Friday evenings too 🙂
I have never heard of this but I love the idea of Friday night coziness. I *love* when I have a Friday night without plans – work is usually low-key on Fridays (no meetings) and I take an afternoon nap and then just lump on the couch and watch TV. It’s a DELIGHT!