Traditional Swedish Christmas

Christmas markets

Enjoy the fresh nip in the air, get rosy cheeks and take your cheer outside. Just wrap yourself up in a scarf, hat and gloves and hit the skating-rink before strolling through the festive Christmas markets of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. Warm yourself with a glass of spicy mulled wine ('glögg') and browse through the most gorgeous handicrafts and Christmas decorations. You can sample typical Swedish Christmas delicacies at the markets too so look out for smoked sausage, reindeer meat and traditional Swedish Christmas sweets.

Christmas buffet

From late November until Christmas, at most Swedish restaurants, you can enjoy the beloved 'julbord', a traditional Swedish Christmas buffet. Enjoy the best of everything Swedish with an endless array of delicacies including pickled herring, gravlax, paté, knäckebröd, ham, meatballs with beetroot salad and lutfisk (a ling dish for the truly curious).

Swedes love their 'julbord' so they do it all over again on Christmas Eve, the day Sweden celebrates Christmas. (Swedes are no strangers to forward-thinking after all). Find out more about Swedish Christmas.

Lucia 

Lucia is one of our best-loved traditions and it takes place on 13 December every year. If you visit Sweden on, or before December 13th you can see how the 400-year old tradition of St. Lucia is celebrated. Find out more about Lucia.