Swedish Holidays

Sanja BućoZrinka Stunković

*Swedish holidays

*New Year (nyår)

*celebrated with friends*New Year’s resolutions

*celebration at Skansen – Ring Out, Wild Bells by Lord Alfred Tennyson

*watching fireworks*foreseeing the future

*Easter (påsk)

*family holiday*secular holiday*påskägg = easter eggs*påskkärringar = ”Easter witches”

*Walpurgis Eve (valborg)

*pagan tradition*30th April *a public event*welcoming the spring*bonfires, choral singing

* The National Day of Sweden (sveriges nationaldag)

*6th June*public holiday since 2005*celebrated at Skansen

*Midsummer (midsommar)

*pagan holiday*Friday and Saturday, 19. – 26. June*one of the most important holidays*celebrated with both friends and family in the countryside*maypoles

*St Lucy’s Day (Lucia)

*alongside Midsummer, one of the biggest cultural traditions*competition for national Lucia*white dresses, candles, glögg, saffron buns, songs*„Lucia”- associated with „lux” / „Lucifer”?

"Into our dark house she comes, bearing lighted candles, Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia."

*Advent

*gnomes, elves,trolls* straw objects*trees-candies, flags,..*native scene is rare

*Christmas ( jul )

*Christmas eve (julafton) - the highlight*Donald Duck *Christmas dinner – a buffet*opening presents after dinner*early mass on 25th

* Epiphany (trettonde dag jul)

*name - 13th day after Christmas*Middle Age - mystery plays – „Star Boys”*today they dress on st Lucy’s day

*  St Knut’s Day (tjugondag jul/Knut)

*13th January*Danish duke Canute*taking off christmas decorations*„plundering” the tree and throwing it out

"Christmas has come to an end,And the tree must go.But next year once againWe shall see our dear old friend,For he has promised us so "

*References

*sweden.se*about.com*yourlivingcity.com*visitstockholm.com*catholicheritage.blogspot.de*hemslojd.com