Swedengate explained: What is the debate around serving food to guests?

What started as a simple question on Reddit has snowballed into a controversy on cultural norms with the country of Sweden at its centre. #Swedengate is a hashtag that emerged when Twitter learned that Swedes don’t always serve food to guests who are visiting their homes. Given that offering food to guests is considered a basic act of hospitality in many cultures, this particular aspect of Swedish tradition did not go down well with several Twitter users.

It all began with a question on AskReddit. "What's the weirdest thing you had to do at someone else's house because of their culture/religion?" a person asked. One response to the question became the start of what would later become known as ‘Swedengate.’

“I remember going to my Swedish friend’s house. And while we were playing in his room, his mom yelled that dinner was ready. And check this. He told me to WAIT in his room while they ate,” a Reddit user responded.

The response spread online like wildfire. Before long, other people were sharing their own tales of surprising interactions with Swedes and debating their apparent lack of hospitality. The debate gained traction on Twitter, where thousands of people weighed in on the issue, giving birth to the hashtag #Swedengate.