Christmas and New Year's Eve in Sweden is a special time when traditional customs are important. On 24 December, Christmas Eve, Swedes celebrate the highlight of the festive season. They do so with an extensive julbord: a buffet of classic Swedish Christmas dishes. Houses and streets are beautifully lit with candles and Christmas decorations, and the whole country is transformed into an almost fairy-tale setting. New Year's Eve, on the other hand, is often intimate: many Swedes celebrate at home with family or friends. What this means for you as a tourist? We'll show you!

How Swedish Christmas differs from ours

Christmas Eve is the highlight of the festive season in Sweden. For many Swedes, the days that follow are hardly important. From September onwards, you hear the word julbord everywhere: the Christmas dinner. This buffet looks very different from ours. No turkey or stewed pears, but dishes such as smoked salmon, meatballs, herring and saffron buns (lussekatter).

Whereas we often faithfully serve the real Christmas classics, the Swedes remain loyal to their classics. And rightly so, in our opinion!

How Swedish New Year's Eve differs from ours

In Sweden, New Year's Eve is often celebrated in an intimate setting, usually with a nice dinner, a glass of wine and a dip in an ice-cold lake, followed by a sauna. In the cities, there is a bit more excitement for the general public!

• In Stockholm, the fireworks show at Skansen is a classic.
• In Gothenburg, you can see fireworks from every high point in the city from 5 p.m. onwards.

Afterwards, you can sit down to a sumptuous dinner or pop into a bar to start the new year.

Christmas and New Year's Eve as a tourist in Sweden

As a tourist in Sweden, you can experience everything from a julbord in a special location to bakeries full of saffron buns and impressive fireworks displays. However, there is also another side to it: not everything is open, some cities are almost deserted while others are bustling, and you have to know where to go. Going on the off chance doesn't work as well here as you might think.

After years here, we have discovered what is and isn't fun during the Christmas holidays. That's why we have put together a trip that is guaranteed to introduce you to the most beautiful traditions and the real winter wonderland of Sweden. That way, you don't have to puzzle over your days yourself; we'll do that for you.

View the Christmas holiday package here!