Easter in Sweden - 12 Swedish Easter traditions

This year is Easter in Sweden for many, so we thought we'd talk about Swedish Easter traditions. We list 12 Easter traditions that are, or have been, common in Sweden. Which of these traditions are important to you? Do you have a completely different, slightly odd tradition?

Easter in Sweden

Easter is an important feast in Christianity, commemorating the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. Easter in Sweden today is also a time when we celebrate the arrival of spring, eat eggs and hopefully have fun with family and friends.

This year, Easter will be different for many, due to the ravages of the coronavirus. Holidays abroad are out of the question and travel within Sweden should be limited. In addition, many people have to cancel large family dinners because they may not want to risk spreading the infection within the family. Despite this, we hope that everyone gets at least a little Easter spirit this year.

Swedish Easter traditions

Here are 12 Swedish Easter traditions that are, or have been, common in Sweden. Which of these traditions are important to you? To be honest, we are not very traditional, but when we celebrate Easter in Sweden, we appreciate some good Easter food and, of course, extra eggs!

1. Days in Holy Week and Easter Week

There are many days to keep track of during Easter, for those who want to. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, followed by Blue Monday, White Tuesday, Dymmelon Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Eve. Easter Week then includes Easter Day, Easter Night and Easter Monday.

2. Service and Mass

Easter in Sweden includes the organisation of the Easter Night Fair. According to Church of Sweden the sadness of Good Friday is now replaced by the joy of Easter Sunday. People light candles in church and greet each other with the ancient Easter greeting "Christ is risen. Yes, he is truly risen."

3. Easter bunnies

On Maundy Thursday, we are used to children knocking on doors dressed as Easter Bunnies, handing out cards and hoping for sweets. We don't really know when the tradition began, but Swedish children have been dressing up as Easter Bunnies since the mid-19th century.

4. Easter rice

At Easter, many people bring in birch trees and decorate them with colourful feathers and eggs. It symbolises the greenery and rebirth of spring, but is also associated with Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and the palm leaves strewn before him.

5. Easter decorations

Easter rice is perhaps the most common Easter decoration, but it is also common to decorate with colourful eggs, rabbits, chickens and flowers in Easter colours.

6. Easter games

At least Easter games were common in the past. We have read about egg picking, which is an old game dating back to the Middle Ages. Participants are each given a hard-boiled egg, which they can paint, and then they have to tap the top of the egg against the opponent's egg. The person who avoids damaging their eggshell for the longest time wins.

7. Easter eggs

Easter eggs refer to both painted chicken eggs and large paper eggs filled with sweets. On Easter in Sweden, there are many traditions associated with eggsFor example, painting eggs or pretending that the Easter Bunny has hidden the candy eggs and letting the children look for them.

8. Easter food

When celebrating Easter in Sweden, it is common to set up an Easter buffet, which is often a classic smorgasbord with eggs, herring, salmon, cheese and more. Lamb has also become more popular as an Easter food.

9. Easter candy

Easter candy is perhaps one of our most popular Swedish Easter traditions. Many people give away filled Easter eggs, and chocolate eggs, marzipan chickens and all sorts of other things are also popular.

10. Easter cider

When it is time for Easter in Sweden, many people want to drink Easter must. Every year, Swedes drink around 50 million litres of must. Most of it is drunk at Christmas under the name Christmas must, but Easter comes a close second.

11. Easter bonfire

In the past, in some parts of Sweden, large Easter bonfires were lit on Easter Eve evening. In some places in Sweden, as well as in Finland, it is still a Swedish Easter tradition to light bonfires.

12. Easter holidays and trips

During Easter in Sweden, children have a one-week holiday in connection with Easter, either the week before Easter (Holy Week) or during Easter week itself. Many also have a habit of travelling during the holiday, abroad, to ski resorts or to the countryside.

What are your Swedish Easter traditions?

Which Swedish Easter traditions are important to you? How do you usually celebrate Easter? What will Easter be like for you this year?

All images in the post are borrowed from Pixabay.