A Swedish Christmas 2006

Christmas decorations have been up and for sale in Sweden's shops since late October. Now it's time for Christmas markets to open their stalls and the smell of glögg and gingerbread biscuits spreading through the cold winter air will quickly get you in the mood.

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Here's The Local's guide to the best Christmas activities in Sweden this year.

GOTHENBURG

Stockholm may call itself 'the Capital of Scandinavia', but Gothenburg claims to be the Christmas Capital of Sweden. Christmas markets in the city and greater area of Gothenburg will be filled with typical Christmas food, lights, decorations and concerts. Enjoy!

Christmas at Liseberg
17-19th November, 24-26th November 30th November-3rd December and daily from 6-23rd December.

Traditional Christmas market with 80 stalls and shops selling arts and crafts, delicacies and a new design and crafts market will open in the Liseberg Tower. The park’s mirror pond has been turned into an ice-skating rink and other children’s rides will be running. Restaurants will be serving Christmas buffets and the Ice-bar, run in co-operation with the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. Gotheburg’s Lucia will be crowned here, on the evening of December 12th.

Haga Christmas Market, Gothenburg
2 – 3, 9 – 10, 16 – 17 December
Christmas Market in Haga, the oldest part of Gothenburg with cobbled streets and lots of atmosphere. Sales from shops and around 70 market stalls along Haga Nygata, with its Christmas decorations.
Open 11 – 15, Saturday and Sunday.

Old-fashioned Christmas Market at Kronhuset, Gothenburg
3 – 17 December (closed Mondays)
Gothenburg’s oldest building has been decorated for Christmas and the smell of glögg, spruce and sugared almonds surround the market salesmen in their old-fashioned clothing – like Christmas used to be. Open 11 – 16 every day except Mondays.

Christmas at Gustafsberg, 16-19 December
Gustafsberg is situated outside Uddevalla, about 1 hour north of Gothenburg, and is probably Sweden’s best preserved so called spa resort from the time before the turn of the century, with fantastic wooden buildings.

In the park and in these beautiful buildings we create the region’s new large Christmas event for food and crafts. Here, you will be met by around 70 exhibitors; skilful craftsmen and small-scale producers of Christmas delicacies. The covered market has a unique range of top-quality marzipan from the well-known Bräutigams, bread baked in stone ovens, charcuterie from Småland, pickled herring with snaps and much more.

Here you’ll meet tinsmiths, potters, candle-makers, glass painters and many others.

Entrance fee: 60 SEK

For more information about Christmas Markets in Gothenbug, click here


STOCKHOLM

Skansen

The Christmas market 2006 will be held on three weekends - on the 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17 December.

There will be stalls selling Christmas items - traditional sausages, cheeses, handicrafts, spices and essences, decorations, embroidery, leather goods, Skansen's own handmade mustard, glass, bread, cakes, hand-knitted mittens, sugared almonds, tallows, honey, marzipan, crisp bread, smoked turkey, jams and marmalades, candy and masses of other irresistible items like fine linen, gourmet chocolate, Swedish rusks, toys and children's clothes.

There will also be an indoor mini-market in the Barn at the Bollnäs Place with a wide assortment of Christmas items – edibles, decorations, presents. Open every day, except Mondays, until New Year's Eve.

For more information on Skansen’s Christmas Market, click here.


Drottningholm Christmas Market

December 9th & 10th

Saturday, December 9th:

11am: Church service & concert – Mariamusik with Boo Kapella, dir. Marianne Ribbing, Leif Asp, organ, Joakim Vikström.

12pm: Children’s tour of Drottningholm. General tour of Drottningholm.

1pm: Julens sånger with quartet In dulci jubilo – Alexandra Ullsten, Vivi-Anne Gäfvert, Christer Bergström and Leif Asp

2pm: Julens sånger with quartet In dulci jubilo – Alexandra Ullsten, Vivi-Anne Gäfvert, Christer Bergström and Leif Asp. General exhibition of the castle.

3pm: Noël – Christmas songs from France. Organ, Leif Asp.


Sunday, December 10th

11am: Mass. Joakim Vikström, Lovö’s church choir, dir. Leif Asp.

12pm: Children’s tour of Drottningholm. General tour of Drottningholm.

1pm: Carols with Lovö’s church choir, dir. Leif Asp

2pm: Lucia parade with Betelseminariet’s choir. General tour of Drottningholm

For more information about the Christmas market in Drottningholm click here.


Kungsträdgården

24th of November to 22nd of December

A Christmas Market in the centre of Stockholm with its own ice-skating rink. That is what Kungsträdgården has to offer all visitors starting from the 24th of November.

The Christmas market in Kungsträdgården will be open: 24-26 November, 11-18, 1-3 December and everyday from the 8th of December 2006. During weekends in December, visitors will encounter trolls, Santa Claus, traditional Nordic handicraft, glögg and gingerbread biscuits at the market.

For more information about the Christmas Market in Kungsträdgården, click here.

Perhaps the most traditional and most visited Christmas Market in Sweden is held at Skansen, where the holiday is celebrated during the entire month of December. The open-air museum offers visitors every year, the magic of Swedish Christmas during three weekends in December.


Other Christmas Markets

Christmas Market in Gröna Lund
STREET Christmas Market
Sigtuna Christmas Market
Old Town Christmas Market, Stortorget, 25th November to 22nd December.
Södertull Christmas Market in Malmö
Visby Christmas Market on Gotland