Swedish traditions and festivals
January | February | March | April | May | June | August | September | October | November | December

January

6th January - "Trettondedag jul"
This literally means the thirteenth day of Christmas and it celebrates when the three kings, or three wise men, came to give their gifts to baby Jesus. It's a public holiday in Sweden, and is sometimes celebrated with a small party at home for friends and family.

13th January - "Tjugondedag Knut"
This festivity happens twenty days after Christmas. Christmas is 'danced' out of the house, the Christmas tree is stripped of its sweets and decorations and put out into the street. For children it's an opportunity to eat a lot of sweets!

February

Mid February - "Fettisdagen"
Literally translated, this means fat day! It's the day to eat the delicious cream bun called a 'semla'.

The delicious 'semla' bun is a bread roll, filled with marzipan, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with icing sugar. It is traditionally eaten in Sweden in February, although they are already available in bakeries from January onwards, and even all year round in some shops.

This tradition has its roots in the Christian calendar, when in the period up to Easter, the people were supposed to fast. This period is called "Fastan" (Lent). On the last Tuesday before Lent begins, people would indulge in rich fatty food because it would be 40 long days and nights before they would be able to enjoy such food again!

The origins of the name 'semla' comes from the Latin word simila which means the finest wheat flour, which is indeed the basis of the semla bun.

March

21st March - "Vårdagjämning"
On or around this date is the 'vernal equinox' or more simply said, it marks the start of spring, because the day and night are equally long as the Swedes head towards long, light summer nights. Traditionally it's a time of renewal, both in nature and in the home.




25th March - "Vårfrudagen"
This festival literally translates as 'Our lady's day' and like many traditions, its roots are in the Christian faith. Officially it's the day when the Virgin Mary discovered that she was pregnant with Jesus, because this day falls exactly nine months before Christmas day. At some point in history people started to mispronounce the word Vårfrudagen so that it became 'Våffeldagen', which literally means Waffle day! So this is the day that Swedes get out their waffle irons and make waffles, served with fresh berries or jam and whipped cream.

Click here to find out how to make " Våfflor" or Waffles

April

1st April - "Första April"
This is the day to watch out for practical jokes, as the custom on this day is to fool people, and to play jokes on them. When you have succeeded in fooling someone you then say the rhyme:

"April, april, din dumma sill, jag kan lura dig vart jag vill!"

which literally translates as:
"April, April you stupid herring, I can fool you wherever I want!"

The rhyme is accompanied by a gesture of pointing the left index finger at the victim of your joke while rapidly running the middle of the right index finger down the top of the left finger as if sharpening a stick to a point!

Newspaper and TV channels often play tricks on their readers and viewers.

Easter
Easter day has no fixed date, but falls between 22 March and 25 April. The date on which it falls is determined both by the moon, and the church calendar.









30th April - " Valborgsmässoafton"
In English this is translated as "Walpurgis". On the night of 30th April which is the eve of Valborg - Valborgsmässoafton - people gather around big bonfires in their town. A choir sings songs about springtime and the coming summer. Afterwards families return home for a traditional dinner, while the younger crowd go out to festivities and parties. Valborg is especially popular in university cities where there is much celebrating with singing, drinking and eating. The university students wear their white graduation caps. Choirs sing "Winter has gone...", "Welcome, beautiful May" and "Fresh winds of spring".

The history behind the name of this celebration and the celebration itself is quite interesting, as they come from quite different histories. The name 'Valborg' is the name of the daughter of a great king, possibly from the British Isles. Princess Valborg travelled to Germany and became a Catholic nun there. After she died she became a saint. The tradition for lighting bonfires goes back to the days of the Vikings who used to light big bonfires to scare off predators before the cattle and sheep were let out to graze.

The lighting of the fires on 30th April eventually also came to be a symbolic event, which represented the coming of spring. People lit them to hurry along the warm weather and to scare off evil spirits. The connection between these two unrelated events is that Valborg was named a saint on 1st May. As the two events took place at approximately the same time of the year, and both were a celebration of fertility, the two dates merged together and the Valborg celebration was born!

May

Midsommar
In Sweden, many customs are closely associated with the changing seasons. Swedes celebrate summer with an intensity that can only be found in a people who have just endured a long, dark winter.

Perhaps for many Swedes, the most important, festivity is Midsummer, midsommar. Midsummer's Eve is celebrated on the eve of the Saturday between the 20th and 26th June. Most Swedes try upon this day to get to a place in the countryside where they can eat pickled herring, boiled potatoes and sour cream as well as strawberries and brännvin. A maypole is often erected around which, at least if there are children present at the celebration, dancing is performed. Houses are often decorated in birch twigs.

It is traditional for young girls to in the middle of the night to pick seven different kinds of flowers and jump over seven hedges without uttering a word. Then would they dream of their true love when sleeping with the flowers tucked under their pillow.

Most traditional customs are celebrated in the home, with the family. The only real exception is Midsummer, when Swedes, regardless of the weather, want to be outdoors, to meet others and to greet the arrival of summer.



"Första maj"
In common with many other countries 1st May is workers day, and is a public holiday, with parades and marches. In Sweden it's also a day for the general display of flags. Most people enjoy the day by getting out into the parks, or out into the woods and enjoying the beginning of spring. Some people have the tradition of going on the first picnic of the year on this day, which is called 'maja'. Since May Day/Labour Day is a public holiday here in Singapore anyway, take the opportunity to pack that picnic basket and bask in the sun!

"Gökotta"
A Sunday in May some Swedes get up very early in the morning to go and listen to the first birdsong of spring. There is a legend that says if you hear a cuckoo calling, then you must listen to which direction its call is coming from as it will tell you what fortune the year will bring. If the call comes from the east it means solace, if it comes from the west it means that wonderful things will happen. But if you are unfortunate to hear the cuckoo from the north it means sorrows, and from the south means death. But remember, it's only a myth!

"Mors dag"
The last Sunday in May is Mother's day in Sweden, a time for children to spoil their mums! Maybe it's breakfast in bed, or a homemade card, or a special drawing. Or it could be some homemade sweets or a bunch of beautiful spring flowers, such as the cheerful daffodil.

June

Swedish National Day
6 June is Swedish National Day, and it is a marking of Swedish independence, though the event occurred so long ago that it does not have as strong of a presence in the social consciousness.

Sweden has not taken part in any of the wars of the modern era, which may explain the Swedes’ somewhat guarded attitude towards celebrating a national day. They are proud of their country but don’t seem to feel any great need to show it. Previously, 6 June was not a public holiday, and for many people the only sign that this was a special occasion was the decoration of buses with Swedish flags.

August

Crayfish – A late summer treat
Imagine a summer cottage near a small lake on a moon-lit night, somewhere in Sweden. Then imagine the backyard where a table is set with serving trays overflowing with bright red crayfish. Paper lanterns that look like smiling moons glow in the darkness. One can hear laughter, slurping, songs and an occasional, “skål!” The guests are wearing paper hats and bibs with colourful crayfish motifs. Everyone is equipped with crayfish utensils, paper plates and a compilation of songs to accompany the ice-cold schnapps.


Who could have imagined that the once unlikely crayfish would become such an important celebration, marking the last days of summer?

At one time, the lakes of central Sweden teemed with crayfish, which were exported to high-class restaurants in Paris, London and Berlin. Swedish aristocracy also relished on the delicacy, while most of the middle-class regarded crayfish as common feed.

In the end of the 1800’s the large export made the crayfish population extremely scarce. The government imposed a law limiting fishing to only two months a year in the early autumn. Crayfish became a rarity and due to this, each crayfish season became marked by celebration.

But in the 1960’s, the crayfish enthusiasts were struck with a new disaster: “the crayfish plague” that eliminated most crayfish from Sweden’s waters. Sweden, the world’s once largest exporter of crayfish became the world’s largest importer.

Today, crayfish are imported in huge amounts from Turkey, Spain and the United States. While the seasonal ban on fishing and eating crayfish was lifted years ago, crayfish feasts in August remain a tradition that is stronger than ever.

September

23rd September "Höstdagjämningen"
The English translation of this is the autumnal equinox. For the second time in the year, day and night are of equal length. But of course from now on until the spring, the nights will get longer, and longer.

Plocka svamp
This is the time of the year to go out into the woods to pick berries and mushrooms. To 'plocka svamp' (pick mushrooms) is a happy activity undertaken by most Swedes at this time of year. There are many delicious varieties to be found, one of the most popular being the golden 'Kantarell' (chanterelle).

They are delicious lightly fried and served on toast. Or you could make an omelette with them too. There's also a popular soup made from them.


Click here to find out how to make "Kantarellsoppa" or Chanterelle soup

Not only do the Swedes like foraging around in the woods for mushrooms, but they take just as much pleasure in going berry picking. Favourite berries to gather are "lingon" (lingonberries), "hjortron" (cloudberry) and blåbär (bilberry or blueberry).


Lingonberries are made into jam and also a fruit drink.

Cloudberries are delicious eaten fresh, or you can also make jam out of them.

Bilberries are also delicious just as they are. If you can resist eating them as you pick them, a favourite way of eating them is with a little milk and sugar. They're also very good on pancakes. If it's a very good season, then any excess can be made into jam.

October

Apple month!
This is apple month! The apples have ripened in the gardens and orchids and it's time to enjoy them! Many people bake a special apple cake, served with vanilla sauce.

Click here for the recipe for classic Swedish apple pie.

Last Sunday
The last Sunday in October is when you put the clocks back one hour. Now the winter time begins.

November

Ärtsoppa med flask
In the cold months, which roughly speaking are from November to April, it's a tradition on Thursdays to eat "ärtsoppa med fläsk" (pea soup with bacon) followed by Swedish "pannkakor" (pancakes) with jam. The drink that accompanies this is "varm punsch" which is the warmed up Swedish sweet liqueur.

It's a very warm and filling meal to help you get through the dark cold Swedish winter!

Click here for a recipe for ärtsoppa.

1st November - "Alla helgons dag"
This is All Saints Day, and originally it was celebrated in memory of saints and martyrs. Nowadays people use the day to remember their deceased friends and relatives. People light lanterns and candles on the graves, and by nightfall it's like an ocean of light.

6th November - "Gustav Adolfsdagen"
This day celebrates Gustav II Adolf who was a heroic Swedish King between 1611 and 1632. It's actually the date that he was shot and killed in battle.

In 1628 he founded Gothenburg. Hence it is very common for Gothenburgers to eat Gustav Adolf-bakelse (Gustav Adolf pastry) to commemorate him and the city. The pastry is made of sponge cake or marzipan, and a profile of the king's head is on top, either in chocolate or marzipan.

10th November - "Mårtensafton"
St Martin's Day Eve - This ancient legend behind Mårtensafton tells of the story of a devout monk called Mårten who gave all his money to the poor. One day he was called upon to become a Bishop, a position he did not want. So he hid in a goose house but unfortunately the clucking of the geese revealed his hideaway, and he was found and had to take up the post as bishop. As the geese played such an important role in deciding his destiny, he declared that goose should be eaten annually on this day.

This day is especially celebrated in the southern counties of Sweden, particularly the province of Skåne. The meal consists of "svartsoppa" (black soup) which is made from goose blood followed by roasted goose, roasted and served with prunes and apples. For dessert, you can eat the very special "Skånsk äppelkaka".

Click here for the recipe.

Second Sunday in November - "Farsdag"
After mother's day in April, now it's the turn of the Swedish father to be spoilt by his children! On Father's day Swedish children give cards, presents, and drawings to their dads. They also eat a special cake called "smörgåstårta" which means sandwich cake. It's several layers of bread sandwiched together with a creamy filling made with fresh ingredients.

December

Santa Lucia
According to the old Julian calendar, which in Sweden lasted until 1753, December 13 was known to be the longest and darkest night of the year, and the celebration of Lucia became the symbol of the returning sun.

One girl is chosen to be “Saint Lucia” – she wears a white, full-length chemise with a red ribbon around her waist and a wreath of lingonberry sprigs on her head. The wreath carries candle-shaped lights to give the effect of a halo. Lucia is followed by a choir of star boys and handmaidens, who sing a repertoire of Christmas songs.