Christmas
Latest news, information and cultural background about Christmas and yuletide traditions in Sweden.
How to dispose of your Christmas tree in Sweden
Dumping your Christmas tree on the street can result in a hefty fine, so make sure you dispose of it responsibly.
How to celebrate New Year's Eve like a Swede: Six essential traditions
What on earth does Ivanhoe have to do with Swedish New Year's celebrations anyway?
12 things you only get if you've celebrated Christmas in Sweden
Warning: Some of this may only make sense to you if you've ever celebrated Christmas in Sweden.
Who's Sweden's Christmas tomte and what's he doing on my doorstep?
Say hello to the man all Swedish kids want to knock on the door on Christmas Eve.
Why do Swedes watch Donald Duck every Christmas Eve at 3pm?
The sacred hour when Sweden goes quiet and almost half of the population watches reruns of old Disney shows.
The ultimate guide to Swedish Christmas traditions
Swedes all celebrate Christmas on December 24th. If you need a last-minute cheat sheet, here's how the festive day unfolds.
How to celebrate Christmas like a Swede
Letters to Santa, twinkling lights on houses, and Christmas trees in the public square: on the face of it, Swedish Christmas looks pretty similar to Christmas in North America or the UK. But underneath the surface, there are a lot of differences.
Why do Swedes play bingo the day before Christmas Eve?
Throughout history, Swedes have stayed up late the day before Christmas Eve to get everything ready for the big day of celebrations. Since 1995, this has also included playing bingo until midnight – but why?
What you need to know about travelling in Sweden over Christmas 2025
Updated road closure news for those travelling by car today. Christmas is one of the busiest times for travel in Sweden, whether you're travelling by air, road or rail. Here's the latest.
Six ways to tell if you should spend Christmas in Sweden
Do you want Christmas to last as long as possible? Are you an introvert who likes predictability or an spontaneous extrovert? Here are our six criteria to check whether Sweden is the best country for you to celebrate in.
How to make a julbord if you live outside Sweden
Planning a Swedish Christmas meal – the scrumptious julbord – outside of Sweden this year? Here are The Local's tips on how you can make your own julbord, and where to source essential ingredients.
Skål! A guide to glögg, Sweden's favourite Christmas drink
It's not Christmas in Sweden without glögg – the spiced wine drink served warm, often in little cups about the size of Turkish tea glasses. But what's the difference between the umpteen different glögg bottles on the shelf at Systembolaget?
When do you start saying Merry Christmas in Sweden?
There are a surprising number of unwritten rules when it comes to greeting people throughout the Christmas season. So when should you say god jul, and when is it better to wish someone a 'good continuation' or a 'good end' instead?
When and where should you buy a Christmas tree in Sweden?
Three million households in Sweden buy a Christmas tree every year, either from one of the stalls that pop up in town squares across the country, from an out-of-town retailer, or direct from a grower. Here's how to get your tree.
'Our Christmas ham has run away': Ten of Sweden's best holiday hits
Sick of Last Christmas and All I Want for Christmas is You? We've put together a list of Swedish Christmas songs, including standard hits and more unusual offerings, for you to add to your playlist this year.
GOATWATCH: Here's how you can livestream Sweden's Christmas goat
The Christmas Goat in the Swedish city of Gävle has become a worldwide symbol of the season for many who eagerly follow news of the straw goat to see if it survives until Christmas day. Here's where you can watch it online.
In pictures: Sweden's contest for the year's best gingerbread house
The Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design (ArkDes) runs an annual competition for the best 'pepparkakshus' or gingerbread house. Which one do you think should win this year?
Prices of Swedish Christmas foods rise 33 percent in five years
Typical items used in Swedish Christmas baking like flour, butter and chocolate have seen major price increases over the past five years, while coffee in Sweden has risen by 100 percent since 2020.
Parenting in Sweden: How to prepare for your child's Lucia celebration
If your children have just started school or preschool in Sweden or you haven't been in the country for very long, this could be your first ever Lucia celebration. What is it, and how should you prepare?
How to decorate your Christmas tree like a Swede
So you're celebrating a Swedish Christmas, but how do you make sure that your tree meets expectations?
Sweden's ten best Christmas markets in 2025
It's not long until Christmas now and some of these markets have already been and gone. Here are Sweden's ten best Christmas markets in 2025 and the dates you need to know.
Birds, gingerbread and an American: The six weirdest attacks on Sweden's Christmas goat
Every winter, people around the world turn their eyes to Gävle's Christmas goat, eagerly waiting to see if it survives the Christmas season. Here's a look at some of the most outrageous attempts to destroy the iconic straw goat throughout its history.
Why do the Nordic countries light candles on each Sunday of Advent?
The tradition of lighting candles during Advent in the Nordics has a rich history that stretches back centuries.