In northern Sweden, where winter months means up to 20 hours of darkness a day, staying positive during these cold months is challenging but, fortunately, residents of these northern climes have come up with a variety of strategies to make winters more fun and cozy. One of these strategies is illördag, or 'little Saturday', which, counter-intuitively, takes place on Wednesday's.
The concept of 'little Saturday' dates back to when servants and maids worked Saturdays, but had Wednesdays off. Today, many Nordic cultures treat Wednesdays as a day of mini celebration and fun to blow off steam and boost morale during long, dark nights.
Constanze Leineweber, associate professor at the Stress Research Institute of Stockholm University, says that the concept of little Saturday helps break up the work week and gives workers something to look forward to. Many pubs offer illördag discounts while families may choose to celebrate with campfires or delicious treats like oysters and champagne.
“Something like Little Saturdays can be quite wise in helping people to create structure and fulfillment,” Leineweber told BBC.
During the pandemic, when workdays and weekends tended to blend into one another, many Nordic residents leaned into the concept of little Saturday even more. For isolated people, especially parents, virtual celebrations offered midweek relief and more weekly structure.
