7 Christmas Traditions in Sweden

Swedish lussebulle or lussekatt are traditional saffron buns synonymous with Christmas in Sweden. They are also called Saint Lucy’s Day buns as they are traditionally eaten on December 13th, which is St. Lucia’s Day. This pastry is made with an egg and butter enriched sweet dough infused with strands of saffron and juicy raisins. Before putting in the over, bakers curl the buns into a lovely S-shape.

4. St. Lucia’s Day

One of the biggest celebrations during Christmas in Sweden is St. Lucia’s Day(or St. Lucy’s Day) on December 13th. St. Lucia was a young saint from Italy killed for her faith in 304. On St. Lucia’s Day, young girls dress up as her and sing carols. The girls wear white dresses and a red sash and a crown of candles on her head. The crown is made of lingonberry branches which symbolise new life in winter. The date is also symbolic as it was the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, in the old ‘Julian’ Calendar.

5. Christmas Eve julbord feast

Christmas Eve is also important in Sweden. This is when the Swedish eat their main Christmas meal. Julbord is a lunchtime buffet with a bounty of food, especially cold fish dishes, for instance, herring, gravlax (salmon cured in sugar, salt and dill) and smoked salmon. You’ll also find on the table, cold meats like turkey, roast beef and julskinka (a Christmas ham) as well as cheeses, salads and pickles. Warm dishes also feature including meatballs, prinskorv (sausages), kåldolmar (meat-stuffed cabbage rolls) and revbenspjäll (oven-roasted pork ribs). Dessert will usually be risgrynsgröt sweet rice pudding.

6. Presents from the Christmas Gnomes

In Sweden, presents are brought by Santa who is called Jultomte. Christmas gnomes called Tomte also leave gifts. Male Christmas gnomes or elves are called Nissar or female gnomes/elves are called Nissor. Traditionally, children would leave a bowl of risgrynsgröt rice pudding on the front porch for Santa and the gnomes to eat. However, nowadays, Jultomte and Tomte leave the gifts whilst the children are finishing off their risgrynsgröt on Christmas Eve.

7. Tjugondag Knut (Twentieth Day Knut)

Christmas in Sweden doesn’t end until the 13th of January, a full twenty days after Christmas. The end of the festive period is called Tjugondag Knut (Twentieth Day Knut) or Tjugondag jul (Twentieth Day Yule). The day is named after a Danish prince called Canute Lavard who was later canonised. Traditionally, on Tjugondag Knut, the Swedes take down their Christmas trees and eat any leftover cookies and sweets.