Swedes have always been keen to adopt trends emanating from the United States, and the latest craze to hit Scandinavia is the cuddle party.
Established in 2004, the cuddle party has won followers in the US, UK, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada with its hands-on approach. Sweden has now leapt softly onto the cuddle-wagon which aims to provide “a playful social event designed for adults to explore communication, boundaries and affection”.
“A cuddle party is a concept where people meet and practice touching within clear boundaries and learn to set limits, this is important in several fields in society. It is about building integrity,” said cuddle party organiser Oskar Palmenfelt in a report by The Local. The appropriately named Palmenfelt did point out that the Swedish version would have subtle differences from its US counterpart.
“A US cuddle party is more a pleasant evening when people cuddling in a non-sexual way. In Sweden we see boundary-setting when practising cuddling as an important skill to be learned and developed,” Palmenfelt explained. A pedagogic method will be employed for Swedish participants who can attend a post-cuddle workshop to discuss personal boundaries and values.
Palmenfelt claimed that establishing such boundaries was essential in today’s modern society which increasingly endeavours to make its members insecure. “It is about learning to build and trust your own personal integrity, drawing limits and also asking for help in everyday situations,” he said.
The cuddle party is not, as many had hoped, orgiastic foreplay. All movements are kept above the table thanks to a dedicated Cuddle Caddy or Cuddle Lifeguard.