Traditions and holidays
Celebrations through the year and how traditions change.
This page is translated from Swedish and has not been reviewed by a native speaker. The Swedish version is the original.
The final chapter covers Swedish traditions and holidays and spans pages 45–47. It’s the most date-dense chapter in the whole material — and therefore one of the easiest to study systematically.
Starting point: many traditions have their roots in the Christian religion or even earlier, while others build on important events in Swedish history. Traditions contribute to cultural belonging but change as society develops — today many people celebrate the Christian holidays in new ways that aren’t tied to Christian faith.
Through the year
New Year
New Year’s Eve falls on 31 December and is often celebrated with parties and dinners with friends and family. As in many other places in the world, the arrival of the new year is marked at night with fireworks.
Easter
Easter is a Christian holiday celebrated sometime in March or April, to commemorate Jesus’s death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.
On Easter Saturday it’s common to eat eggs, lamb, salmon, and herring, and children often get candy in Easter eggs. Children may also dress up as Easter witches (påskkärringar).
Valborg (Walpurgis Night)
30 April, celebrated to welcome spring. In the evening large bonfires are lit, and people sing traditional spring songs by the fire. Sometimes a speech is given to spring. The celebration is an old tradition.
May Day
Workers’ Day, celebrated internationally. In Sweden, May Day is also a public holiday when everyone has the day off.
The day is marked by the labour movement, which organises demonstrations around the country. People from trade unions, political parties, and other groups give speeches on social and political issues.
Sweden’s National Day
6 June. National Day was made a public holiday by a Riksdag decision in 2005.
The date has two historical connections:
- On 6 June 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected king of Sweden, an event seen as the start of the Swedish state’s independence.
- On 6 June 1809, a new Instrument of Government was adopted, requiring the king to share power with the Riksdag from then on.
On National Day the flag is raised and speeches are held. Many municipalities arrange special ceremonies to welcome new citizens — which may become relevant for you if you’re reading this.
Midsummer
About welcoming summer and the light. Midsummer’s Eve always falls on a Friday between 19 and 25 June — so it has no fixed date, unlike most other holidays.
The celebration is an old tradition dating from before Christianity. Many people hold outdoor parties, weave flower wreaths, and dance, sing, and play games around a maypole (midsommarstång). Common food includes herring, new potatoes, and strawberries.
All Saints’ Day
A Christian holiday celebrated on a Saturday in late October or early November. Many people go to the cemetery to light candles on the graves of relatives and friends, and to remember and honour those who have died.
Advent
The four Sundays before Christmas Day, 25 December. The word Advent means arrival, and the period was traditionally a time of preparation for Christmas.
Many people have an Advent calendar where children open a door every day until Christmas Eve. In most homes a lit Advent star hangs in the window, and an Advent candlestick with four candles stands on the table — one candle is lit each Sunday leading up to Christmas.
Lucia
13 December. During Catholic times, the saint Lucia was celebrated on this date, and during the 1800s the celebration began to take the form it has today.
The Lucia celebration is mainly about spreading light when it’s darkest in the year. Lucia processions are held in schools and many other places: one person plays Lucia and wears a crown of candles on their head, while the others carry candles in their hands and sing special songs about Lucia and about Christmas. On Lucia Day, saffron buns (lussebullar) are served.
Christmas
Traditionally a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, and in Sweden a major family holiday.
On Christmas Eve, 24 December, families gather to spend time together, eat special Christmas food, and give each other Christmas presents. Many bring in a Christmas tree and decorate it with lights, ornaments, and tinsel. Some get up early on the morning of 25 December to attend a church service called julotta.
Many celebrate Christmas as a family holiday even without any religious meaning.
New traditions
When people move to other countries, they bring their traditions with them and adapt them to the places and people they encounter. The material mentions three that have come to Sweden through immigration:
- Eid al-Fitr — the holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan
- Nowruz — the Persian New Year
- Newroz — the Kurdish New Year
Nowruz and Newroz are celebrated around the spring equinox on 21 March.
Quick recap: the dates
| Holiday | When |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Eve | 31 December |
| Easter | March or April (moveable) |
| Valborg (Walpurgis Night) | 30 April |
| May Day | 1 May |
| National Day | 6 June |
| Midsummer’s Eve | Friday between 19 and 25 June |
| All Saints’ Day | Saturday, late October / early November |
| Advent | Four Sundays before 25 December |
| Lucia | 13 December |
| Christmas Eve | 24 December |
| Nowruz / Newroz | 21 March |
The two that trip people up most often: Midsummer’s Eve has no fixed date (always a Friday, 19–25 June), and National Day only became a public holiday in 2005.
The chapters follow UHR's official study material Sverige i fokus: Read the chapter at UHR