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Sverige i fokus · chapter 13

Traditions and holidays

This chapter covers traditions and holidays through the year. The year is marked by Easter, Walpurgis Night, Midsummer, Lucia and Christmas, and the national day falls on 6 June. Many traditions mix church observance with older folk customs, and several of them track the light and the seasons. Everyday customs such as fika and the right of public access also belong to what shapes daily life in Sweden.

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Topics from: Sverige i fokus (UHR)

Chapter overview

Worth knowing

Facts from the chapter that come up often in the questions.

  1. 01 Alla helgons dag — the candlelit graveyard night Alla helgons dag is All Saints' Day, a Swedish public holiday.
  2. 02 Gustav Vasa's Liberation War (1521-1523) Rebellion 1521-1523 against Christian II of Denmark.
  3. 03 Swedish public-holiday calendar at a glance Public holidays ('röda dagar') are defined by Lag om allmänna helgdagar (1989:253).
  4. 04 Lucia (Dec 13) — the year's brightest dark morning Lucia is celebrated on 13 December, in one of the darkest weeks of the year.
  5. 05 Adventskalender 24 daily doors from December 1–24
  6. 06 Allhelgonahelgen — the long November weekend Allhelgonahelgen is the weekend built around Alla helgons dag.
  7. 07 Första maj — Swedish May Day May 1 = International Workers' Day, public holiday since 1939.
  8. 08 Valborg (Walpurgis Night, April 30) April 30, eve of May 1

10 questions

Practice questions

  1. Question 1 of 10

    When is Alla helgons dag (All Saints' Day) observed in Sweden?

    • Always on 1 November
    • The first Sunday of Advent
    • 13 December
    • The Saturday between 31 October and 6 November
    Explanation

    The Saturday between 31 October and 6 November — Unlike the universal date of 1 November, the Swedish All Saints' Day always falls on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. It has been a public holiday since 1953.

  2. Question 2 of 10

    What event in November 1520 triggered Gustav Vasa's war of liberation?

    • The Battle of Brunkeberg
    • The Reformation Riksdag
    • The Battle of Lützen
    • The Stockholm Bloodbath
    Explanation

    The Stockholm Bloodbath — The Stockholm Bloodbath of 8-10 November 1520, in which Christian II of Denmark executed about 80 Swedish nobles and clergy — including Gustav Vasa's father — triggered the rebellion that ended the Kalmar Union.

  3. Question 3 of 10

    What is a 'klämdag'?

    • A public holiday on a Saturday
    • The eve of a major festival
    • A workday squeezed between a public holiday and a weekend, often taken off
    • A church feast tied to Easter
    Explanation

    A workday squeezed between a public holiday and a weekend, often taken off — A klämdag ('squeeze day') is an ordinary working day caught between a public holiday and a weekend, which many employers grant as a voluntary day off. The classic example is the Friday after Ascension Day (a Thursday).

  4. Question 4 of 10

    On what date is Lucia celebrated in Sweden?

    • 24 December
    • 1 December
    • 13 December
    • 6 January
    Explanation

    13 December — Lucia is celebrated on 13 December, deliberately placed in one of the darkest weeks of the year. A candlelit procession (luciatåg) led by a candle-crowned Lucia brings light and song into the dark.

  5. Question 5 of 10

    Since which year has SVT produced a new TV Julkalender annually?

    • 1947
    • 1985
    • 1960
    • 1972
    Explanation

    1960 — SVT has produced a new Julkalender every year since 1960, with rare exceptions.

  6. Question 6 of 10

    Why is the All Saints' weekend especially welcomed in the Swedish year?

    • It is the warmest weekend of autumn
    • It is a rare break in the long stretch from midsummer to Christmas
    • It marks the start of summer holidays
    • It is when winter tyres become legal
    Explanation

    It is a rare break in the long stretch from midsummer to Christmas — Coming in the dark early days of November, it is one of the few breaks between midsummer and Christmas, so it is welcomed as a pause — a time for remembrance at candlelit cemeteries and for quiet family gatherings before the deep dark of mörkertid.

  7. Question 7 of 10

    When did May 1 become an official Swedish public holiday?

    • 1917
    • 1939
    • 1890
    • 1971
    Explanation

    1939 — May 1 became an official Swedish public holiday in 1939, almost 50 years after the first Swedish demonstration in 1890.

  8. Question 8 of 10

    Consider the following statements about the televised julkalender: 1. SVT has broadcast a daily December children's serial since 1960. 2. It tells a single Christmas story in short episodes from 1 to 24 December. Which of the above are correct?

    • 1 only
    • Both 1 and 2
    • 2 only
    • Neither 1 nor 2
    Explanation

    Both 1 and 2 — Both statements are correct: SVT has shown a daily julkalender serial since 1960, telling a single Christmas story in short episodes from 1 to 24 December.

  9. Question 9 of 10

    On what date is Valborgsmässoafton celebrated?

    • April 30
    • May 1
    • April 1
    • May 30
    Explanation

    April 30 — Valborg falls on the evening of April 30, the day before May 1.

  10. Question 10 of 10

    How many candles does a traditional Swedish adventljusstake hold?

    • Four — one lit on each Sunday of Advent
    • One
    • Seven
    • Twenty-four
    Explanation

    Four — one lit on each Sunday of Advent — The adventljusstake holds four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. One is lit on the first Sunday, with another added each week, so four burn on the last Sunday before Christmas. (The seven-candle bridge is the separate electric window light.)

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