Facts about Swedish Traditions
Sweden’s many unique traditions are intimately connected to the seasons and the light. In the winter, when sunlight is scarce, Lucia and her maidens of light conquer the winter darkness with candles and carols. Swedish Midsummer is celebrated in the Swedish countryside or archipelago during the summer, when sunlight never really fades. Skansen, the open-air museum, offers tourists the opportunity to participate in many traditional celebrations.
MARCH/APRIL: EASTER Easter is a sign that spring is coming, although it is associated with the Christian faith. It is also time to take a break and spend time with family and friends.
Swedish children dress up as little witches and knock on doors to wish people a happy Easter, recalling the old superstition that witches flew on broomsticks to Blåkulla Mountain on the Easter Thursday, “Skärtorsdagen”.
Easter Eve is the holiday’s major feast day, and tables are set with Easter decorations made of birch twigs and feathers, decorative yellow chicks and, of course, dyed eggs. An Easter egg wrapped in colorful paper and filled with candy is a traditional Easter gift.
APRIL 30: WALPURGIS Walpurgis Night, Valborg, is the night between April 30 and May 1. People gather around a large bonfire to sing the winter away and welcome spring. High school graduates earn a white “student cap”, which is then worn for the festivities of Walpurgis Night over the coming years.
NATIONAL DAY In keeping with tradition, Sweden’s National Day is celebrated at Skansen, the open-air museum, in the presence of their Royal Highnesses King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.
LATE JUNE: MIDSUMMER THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR The most characteristically Swedish tradition of all may be Midsummer, which is celebrated on the weekend closest to June 24, the longest day of the year—when the sky never darkens.
It is a celebration of our love to nature, so the city is empty. Stockholmers themselves leave for the archipelago or the countryside during the weekend, but those who stay behind have options, too. Skansen, the world’s oldest open-air museum, holds a grand Midsummer celebration, with games and dancing to Swedish folk music around the maypole, which is decorated with flowers and leaves. Many participants wear traditional folk costumes and flower wreaths in their hair. Midsummer is celebrated outdoors in a similar fashion throughout Sweden.
A traditional Midsummer meal includes herring, fresh potatoes, beer and snaps.
NOTE: A midsummer night’s dream: one old surviving folk tradition is for unmarried girls to pick seven types of flowers on Midsummer night and place them under their pillows when they go to sleep, leading to dreams of the husband fate has in store.
AUGUST: CRAYFISH PARTY August is the best month for crayfish, and this is celebrated with a crayfish party. Party hats are donned, paper lanterns are hung up and crayfish are eaten with bread and cheese. The meal also includes beer, snaps and the singing of typical snaps-songs.
DECEMBER 10: NOBEL DAY On December 10, one of the world’s most prestigious awards will be presented by HM Carl XVI Gustav to a handful of individuals for their exceptional contributions to the world of science, economics, and literature. After the award ceremony in the Concert Hall, the laureates, their families, and other invited guests make their way to the City Hall, where one of Sweden’s most exclusive parties takes place. The 1,300 dinner guests include members of the Royal Family, the Nobel Prize laureates and other outstanding scientists, as well as some of Sweden’s most influential people. In conjunction with the Nobel festivities you can benefit from a classical Concert in the Concert Hall
Few of us will receive an invitation to the Nobel Prize during our lifetime. But it’s still possible to enjoy a Nobel experience here – all year around, if you’d like. One way to breathe in some of the Nobel aura, without a formal invitation, is to visit the City Hall Cellar, Stadshuskällaren, where all the historical Nobel menus, from 1901 to the latest, are served all year around. The only thing you need is to reserve it a few weeks in advance.
Another way is to walk in the footsteps of Alfred Nobel: Get into the right tune by visiting the Concert Hall, the Nobel museum or where it all got started at Vinterviken.
DECEMBER A MONTH OF PREPARATION The four Sundays prior to Christmas mark Advent, during which Christmas markets can be found around the city, offering Swedish Christmas candy and food, glögg, that is mulled wine, and a range of handicrafts and decorative arts. In Swedish homes, windows are adorned with Advent stars and advent-candlesticks. Church service on 1 of Advent often includes music and choirs.
Skansen, the open-air museum on Djurgården, holds a big, traditional market. The Gamla Stan, Old Town, is full of shops and restaurants with cheerful, festive atmospheres, and hosts a famous Christmas market at Stortorget square. Markets are also held at the designschools, in the archipelago and in royal settings. The whole city glitters with Christmas lights.
December 13: Lucia Queen of light Lucia is celebrated on December 13. The tradition comes from the need to light up one of the darkest days of the year. Lucia and her maidens come before dawn, shedding light on the darkness, and Lucia wears white and a crown of candles on her head. She and her maidens sing traditional Lucia songs and serve a breakfast of “glögg”, sweet, mulled red wine, saffron-flavored buns and gingerbread cookies. Lucia is celebrated in this way in homes, pre-schools, schools and workplaces all over the country.
Visitors can take part in the Lucia tradition, and the main celebration is the coronation of Sweden’s Lucia at Skansen. Lucia concerts are held in churches throughout Stockholm during early mornings and evenings.
December 24-26: Christmas Unlike most Christian countries, Christmas Eve, December 24, is the main attraction. Families gather to eat Christmas smorgasbords at lunchtime, dance around the Christmas tree, and hand out presents. The Swedish Christmas table features a smorgasbord buffet. Christmas Day is peaceful. Many Swedes go to “Julotta”, an early-morning church service. The one in Seglora Church in Skansen is especially popular. Boxing Day used to be the year’s biggest day for movie premieres, and movie theaters are usually still full.
Visitors can enjoy a Swedish Christmas through lunch cruises on archipelago steamboats, Christmas buffets at restaurants and hotels, picturesque markets, concerts and post-Christmas sales.
DECEMBER 31: NEW YEAR The year finishes up in the traditional way with a big New Year's celebration at the Solliden outdoor stage at the Skansen out-door museum, with music and fireworks. The actor Jan Malmsjö reads the Tennyson poem “Ring Out, Wild Bells” in Swedish. Broadcasted live on Swedish television. It’s a very popular tradition for Swedes, so be on time.
SWEDES AND THEIR LOVE FOR FOOD TRADITIONS There is always a reason to celebrate. And celebration calls for food. Swedes uses all opportunities to make those times special with different types of foods. Here are five sweet days, two culture dividers and a guide to eat a typical Swedish Smorgasbord.
Five sweet days to remember Buns filled with whipped cream and marzipan known as On November 6, in memory of the Swedish monarch who “semlor” are eaten on Shrove Tuesday or “Fat Tuesday” was killed at the Battle of Lützen on this very day in 1632 is (fettisdagen) as the Swedes call it, but this loved pastry is eaten celebrated with Gustav Adolfs bakelse, a creamy sponge cake from after Christmas. decorated with chocolate silhouettes of King Gustav Adolf.
Waffles with cream and strawberry jam are consumed on The fifth day is of course the birthday, traditionally celebrated March 25. with “prinsesstårta”, princess cake. A sponge cake filled with layers of strawberry jam and vanilla custard, finished off with Cinnamon Roll Day (Kanelbullens dag) is celebrated on whipped cream and sealed within a thin layer of sugary sweet October 4. green marzipan and a pink marzipan rose.
Smelly fish and soup of blood. Every culture has traditions that divide the country in lovers and haters. Sweden has at least two.
Surströmming, fermented sour herring served with potatoes, Mårtens Afton, is a southern Swedish tradition and takes place sour cream, onion and bread, is a tradition of mainly the on November 10. A classic “Gåsamiddag”, goose dinner, northern part of the country. It is mainly served in the end of starts off with “svartsoppa”, a soup made of stock and August and beginning of September. The fish smells like rotten gooseblood seasoned with gingerbread spices. Followed by eggs but tastes, believe it or not, delicious. the goose, and finally an apple crumble pie for dessert.
Swedish smörgåsbord A typical Swedish smorgasbord includes both cold and hot dishes. The Smorgasbord is eaten in rounds in this order: herring, cold cuts, hot dishes, dessert and cookies. And yes, Meatballs, reindeer, ham, eel, and sausages are the most common ingredients on the smorgasbord.
Links to more facts www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Lifestyle/Traditions/ www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Lifestyle/Food-drink/
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