Min barndoms jular

Swedish Christmas Traditions: A Personal Account

The magical atmosphere of a traditional Swedish Christmas is vividly captured in this personal reflection on family celebrations. From the moment pappa eldade i den stora salens båda kakelugnar så att det blev riktigt skönt att vistas där, the home was transformed into a warm haven away from the winter chill—an essential comfort during Sweden’s long, dark December nights.

Mamma hade pyntat under veckan med juldukar och -gardiner, röda mattor hade hon lagt på golvet och julsaker och -blommor fanns här och där. Apelsin med kryddnejlikor instuckna spred juldoft i rummen tillsammans med andra julkryddor, julröda äpplen och riktiga stearinljus. These festive touches brought not just color but an unmistakable scent of Christmas, echoing a custom found in many Swedish homes: filling the air with the comforting aromas of clove-studded oranges, apples, and spices, all under the gentle glow of real candles.

Jul med liten skara

Our family was small, and we always spent Christmas ("julade") together. This meant no one had to spend hours slaving in the kitchen to prepare meals for a huge gathering of relatives. Instead, we saved those big family parties for Boxing Day (annandag jul); it was then that all the happy family gatherings took place!

Christmas Eve began with pappa bringing in the Christmas tree (granen) from the cold glass veranda, where it had thawed overnight after we had dragged it home from our own forest on a wooden sled the day before. The tree stood in a handmade, cross-shaped stand—a simple and traditional solution, even if it didn't keep the tree fresh for very long. By New Year’s, the needles were already falling.

Decorating the tree was a cherished ritual. We used plenty of tinsel (lametta), glitter ribbons, and fragile glass baubles. It was a tradition that at least one ornament would break—those old glass balls were incredibly delicate! Over the years, these were replaced, but the magic of unpacking familiar decorations remained a joy. Only real candles would do for the tree, held in old-fashioned clip-on holders, their candlelight flickering gently among the branches. At the very top, the old sparkling star was carefully placed—a process always more complicated than one might expect.

Christmas Preparations and Festive Days

Mamma devoted the week before Christmas to preparing the holiday food, ensuring that almost everything was ready by Christmas Eve. Breakfast on Christmas Eve was a highlight—a pot of steaming rice porridge (risgrynsgröt), served with a single hidden almond, a knob of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and milk. After the porridge came a slice of bread topped with slices of this year’s Christmas ham (julskinka), a treat to be tasted for the first time that morning. The adults savored their coffee, while I preferred milk. Afterwards, for dessert, we enjoyed pepparkakor that I had helped bake.

The pace of the day was slow and deliberate, in keeping with Swedish traditions. We read Christmas stories and tales, played board games, and sang Christmas songs. Pappa read the Christmas Gospel (Julevangeliet) and explained why we exchange gifts on Christmas: the Three Wise Men brought offerings to the baby Jesus.

Vita bardomsjular

Snow was never lacking during the Christmases of my childhood. A trip to the sledding hill or the ski trail was a must, or I would build a snowman ("snötomte")—complete with cheerful charcoal eyes and buttons, a smiling mouth, carrot nose, rakishly tilted red cap ("tomteluva"), and a broomstick in hand.

We usually had a light lunch, saving room for the festive evening meal. As dusk fell, the large dining table was transformed: covered with a red cloth, decorated with sparkling candelabras, and set with the rarely used white plates edged with red. Even the cotton napkins were, naturally, red.

Festive Swedish Christmas Dinner

Dinner itself was a feast of tradition, echoing centuries-old customs. We served a variety of casseroles (lådrätter): kålrotslåda (rutabaga casserole), morotslåda (carrot casserole), sometimes potatislåda (potato casserole) or Janssons frestelse (a creamy anchovy and potato dish). The ham was accompanied by homemade meatballs, Christmas sausages (julkorv), and an assortment of pickled herrings as an appetizer, always with boiled potatoes and halved eggs. And of course, pappa's smoked reindeer steak was indispensable—he couldn't imagine Christmas without it! To finish, we enjoyed coffee or julmust, a spiced soft drink unique to the Swedish holidays, alongside puff pastry stars with prune jam, gingerbread cookies, and other small treats.

Jultomte and Christmas Eve’s Magic

After dinner, the anticipation grew: would Tomten appear soon? As was tradition in many Swedish families, pappa always seemed to need to fetch something just before the mysterious, red-clad Tomte knocked on the door with his sack of gifts. Once the presents were distributed and Tomten had left, the much-surprised pappa would return, just in time to receive his own gifts.

The evening continued with games—sometimes the new ones brought by Tomten, sometimes old favorites—julsånger, and Christmas games until it was time for me to go to bed, heart full of warmth and joy.

Jul in Sweden is about closeness, tradition, and simple pleasures—whether in the glow of candlelight, the taste of familiar dishes, or the laughter shared with loved ones. It is a time to cherish and remember, beautifully captured in these memories.

En fröjdefull jul önskar jag er alla!
Sylvia Svensson