Long, dark nights, twinkling lights and snow-capped, red wooden houses: is there anywhere more inherently Christmassy and cosy than Sweden? We don’t think so. In fact, many of the traditions we know and love today – mistletoe, Christmas trees, elves and perhaps even Father Christmas himself – have roots in Viking celebrations of the winter solstice, Yule (Jul).
Here are six of our favourite traditions, old and new, to experience in Sweden during the festive season. And feel very free to bring some of this cosy bliss into your own home by trying some of these traditions with family and friends.
CELEBRATING ST LUCIA DAY
Lucia leading the way / Image: Fredrik Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se
Bringing light to the darkest part of the winter, the Luciatåg procession is led by a white-clad Lucia (with a crown of – often real – candles on her head) accompanied by dozens of singing attendants with yet more candles. You can enjoy Lucia concerts at churches, schools and communities all over the country on December 13 (St Lucia Day). Early risers visiting Gothenburg should check out the atmospheric concerts on Lucia morning from the balcony at Hotel Eggers on Drottningtorget.
And don’t miss traditional Lucia treats of lussekatter (saffron buns), pepparkakor (ginger biscuits)
and glögg (mulled wine), which you can enjoy during your fika sessions all season long.
DECORATING (AND PRANKING) WITH THE JULBOK
The julbok keeping watch for pranksters in Gävle / Image: Alamy
Symbolising the harvest, the julbok (Yule goat) dates back to Viking times. Today, it is a popular decoration made from straw and bound with red ribbon. A giant version has graced the city centre of Gävle (175km north of Stockholm) since the 1960s. There are those who try to burn it down every year in increasingly inventive ways, but there’s also another – somewhat less-anarchic but still traditional – goat-related prank you can try instead: sneak around to a neighbour or family member’s home to hide a straw julbok in their home (please ensure it’s someone’s home you legally have access to – we’re not in the business of glamorising breaking and entering here). When they find it, they’ll then re-hide it in someone else’s home, and so the goat-hiding fun continues on and on.