Traditioner och högtider (traditions and holidays): our walkthrough of chapter 13 of UHR’s Sverige i fokus
Chapter 13 of the study material for the citizenship test (medborgarskapsprovet) is about Swedish traditions and holidays. We sort them by where they come from: Christianity, old festivals for the seasons, the country’s history and traditions that new Swedes have brought with them. All in our own words.
Sverige i fokus is published by the Swedish Council for Higher Education (Universitets- och högskolerådet, UHR) together with the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket). This page is Testappen’s own walkthrough and does not replace the material. Read the original at UHR: uhr.se/utbildningsmaterial.
Where do the holidays come from?
A tradition is a custom that has been followed for many generations. Some Swedish holidays are also public holidays (helgdagar), and then most people have the day off work.
Christian holidays
Christmas Eve (julafton) on 24 December is for most Swedes the biggest celebration of the year, with family, Christmas food and presents. Early on the morning of Christmas Day (juldagen) there is an early service, julotta, in church, but far from everyone goes.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. The word means arrival, and for each Sunday one more candle is lit.
Easter (påsk) falls in March or April, differently each year. Christians then remember that Jesus died on Good Friday (långfredagen) and rose again on Easter Sunday (påskdagen).
All Saints’ Day (alla helgons dag) falls on a Saturday at the end of October or the beginning of November. Many people then light candles on the graves of relatives and friends who have died. Lucia, on 13 December, is celebrated with a procession in which the person who is Lucia wears a crown of candles.
Old festivals for the seasons
On 30 April, Walpurgis Eve (valborgsmässoafton), people greet the spring with bonfires and singing.
Midsummer was celebrated even before Christianity arrived, as a festival of light and summer. Midsummer Eve (midsommarafton) is a Friday between 19 and 25 June. People dance around the maypole (midsommarstången) and eat herring, new potatoes and strawberries.
Days rooted in society
1 May (första maj) is the day of the labour movement (arbetarrörelsen), with marches and political speeches in many towns.
6 June is the national day, in memory of Gustav Vasa being elected king in 1523. Flags are raised, and in many municipalities new citizens are welcomed at a ceremony.
On New Year’s Eve (nyårsafton), 31 December, many people celebrate with a party and fireworks during the night.
Newer traditions in Sweden
People who move here often bring their own holidays with them. Id al-fitr marks the end of the Ramadan fast.
Nouruz and Newroz are the Persian and Kurdish New Year. They fall at the spring equinox (vårdagjämningen), around 21 March.
Practise questions about chapter 13
The questions are written by us, except sample questions that UHR has published, which are marked with their source.
The questions are always in Swedish, exactly as in the real test. Only the text of this site is translated.
Flera av högtiderna i Sverige är helgdagar. Vad betyder det?
Correct answer:
Explanation: The word is about work: on a helgdag most people are off work, and several of the Swedish festivals fall on such days. Read more in Sverige i fokus, ch. 13, p. 45.
Den 30 april tänds stora brasor på kvällen. Vilken högtid firas då?
Correct answer:
Explanation: The bonfires and spring songs on 30 April welcome the spring. The day after, 1 May, is the workers' day. Read more in Sverige i fokus, ch. 13, p. 46.
Vad är advent?
Correct answer:
Explanation: The period is counted backwards from Christmas Day: four Sundays in a row, with a new candle lit in the Advent candlestick each Sunday. Meanwhile children open one door a day in the Advent calendar. Read more in Sverige i fokus, ch. 13, p. 47.
Vad är julotta?
Correct answer:
Explanation: It is an old church tradition early on the morning of Christmas Day, and not everyone goes. The Christmas food and the tree belong to the evening before. Read more in Sverige i fokus, ch. 13, p. 47.
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