Smorgasbord (pronounced "smir-goes-board") in Sweden, koldt bord in Norway, smørrebrød in Denmark and voileipåpøtå in Finland each means "spread bread" or "spread board" and all are essentially the same (though with interesting international differences). The "spread board" is a gracious gesture of hospitality as deeply rooted in Scandinavian tradition as the Viking legends.
"Smorgasbord" had its origin in Viking feast days. Distances were long, and upon the rare occasions when people could gather together—a wedding, a christening, a funeral—they invariably stayed for days and weeks. They brought with them food, and the heavily laden tables became contests, each guest trying to outdo the others. -- from Scandinavian Cookery for Americans by Florence Brobeck and Monika Kjellberg.