8 Swedish Holiday Traditions We Might Just Be Copying This Year
1. THEY BUILD UP THE ANTICIPATION
Although the main event is celebrated on Christmas Eve, Swedes know that waiting and preparing is half the fun. On Advent Sunday (four Sundays before Christmas), the first of four candles is lit to start the holiday countdown, usually while enjoying a mug of glögg (mulled wine) and gingerbread cookies. Then, every Sunday an additional candle is lit until finally, it’s Christmas.
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Some of these I have never heard of – Donald duck? Weird.
But others we do. Traditional Swedish dinner on Christmas Eve, with rice pudding. Which me and my brothers hated and gagged through, in hopes of finding the almond that would bring us good luck.
And I don’t care how traditional it is, I’m not eating the pickled herring. My mother loves it though.
We open presents on Christmas day, but I do love the bits of Sweden we incorporate.