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A distinctive Swedish celebration is St. Lucia
Day on December 13. Nominally, it honours St. Lucia from Sicily, but
the day is really a celebration of light in the darkness of winter.
Young girls dress up as St. Lucia, wearing white gowns and crowns of
lighted candles. In families, the youngest daughter wears the costume
and wakes up her family on the morning of December 13 by singing
Sankta Lucia and bringing saffron buns and ginger snaps.
Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve rather
than Christmas Day. After a light lunch, most families gather around
the television to watch cartoons. They prepare a Christmas
smörgåsbord with dishes such as ham and lutfisk
(a dried fish marinated in lye and served with a white sauce). After
dinner, Father Christmas deliver gifts to the children. On Christmas
Day, many Swedes get up early to attend a special church service at
6:00 or 7:00 a.m. |
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New Year's celebrations in Sweden are much like
those in Canada. People attend parties, drink champagne and watch
fireworks. January 6 is Epiphany, the feast that commemorates the
visit of the three kings to the baby Jesus.
At Easter, Swedes spring-clean their homes and
decorate them with pastel-coloured curtains and flowers. Many families
get together for an Easter dinner of eggs and lamb on the Saturday
before Easter. In some households, the young daughters dress up as
Easter witches. They knock on neighbours' doors asking for candy or
money. This tradition stems from an ancient belief that witches
travelled about on the Easter weekend.
The day before May Day is Walpurgis Night, a
celebration that dates back to the Viking Era. It is also a festival
associated with witches. People build bonfires to keep the witches
away. May Day is labour day. Unions members, Social Democrats and
students march in parades. |
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Midsummer is celebrated on the Friday and
Saturday closest to the summer solstice. Most communities erect a pole
decorated with ribbons and flowers. People gather around the pole to
sing, and children dance and play games. At night, families enjoy
traditional fare such as herring and boiled potatoes, washed down
with schnapps or beer.
All Saints' Day is a solemn day devoted to
remembering the dead. Families bring flowers and candles to the
graves of loved ones to pay respect.
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| January 6 |
Epiphany |
| March or April |
Good Friday, Easter Monday |
| May 1 |
May Day |
| May |
Ascension Day, Pentecost |
| June |
Midsummer's Day |
| November 1 |
All Saints' Day |
| December 25-26 |
Christmas |
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Did you know? |
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For a long time, Sweden did not have a national day.
In 1983, June 6 was named the official national day. Although it remains
a regular workday, some towns have parades, and families display the
Swedish flag.
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