Topic
Swedish holidays and traditions, and religion
Swedish holidays and traditions in simple English: public holidays, Christmas, Midsummer, Lucia, new festivals, freedom of religion and religions in Sweden.
Swedish holidays have different backgrounds. Most public holidays come from the Christian church calendar, but some are not religious. People who moved here brought new holidays. And in Sweden, everyone has freedom of religion.
What is freedom of religion?
The Instrument of Government (regeringsformen), a fundamental law, protects freedom of religion. You may practise your religion alone or with others (chapter 2, article 1).
Freedom of religion has two sides:
- Positive freedom of religion: you may profess a religion, that is, say that you believe in it. You may also practise it.
- Negative freedom of religion: you are protected from being forced to practise a particular religion.
Public bodies, such as the state, municipalities and agencies, may not force you to say what you believe. No one has to belong to a faith community either. This is a group with religious activities, such as worship, prayer or meditation. A child aged 12 or older must say yes personally to join or leave one. See also Rights and the media.
The Church of Sweden and the state
The Church of Sweden was long a state church, part of the state. A 1951 law on freedom of religion gave Swedish citizens the right to leave the church without joining another community.
The Church of Sweden Act came into force on 1 January 2000. The church stopped being a state church and became one faith community among others. The law calls it "an Evangelical Lutheran faith community". This Christian church broke with the Catholic Church in the 1500s.
Under the European Convention on Human Rights, the state must be neutral and impartial towards religions. It may not judge which faith is right.
But some ties remain. The Church of Sweden still has its own law. Its members pay a church fee, and the state helps collect it. Other faith communities can apply for this help if, among other things, a state agency has registered them. The Act of Succession is the fundamental law on who inherits the throne. It says the head of state must have "the pure evangelical faith". This means Evangelical Lutheran faith.
Religions in Sweden
The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) handles state grants for faith communities outside the Church of Sweden. Its list, with 2024 figures, includes the Roman Catholic Church and several Orthodox churches. It also lists Muslim communities, the Central Council of Jewish Communities and the Swedish Buddhist Community.
A new law on state grants has applied since 1 January 2025. Today (2026), a faith community needs, among other things, at least 2,500 people served who live in Sweden. These are members or people who regularly take part in the activities. The community must also have been active in Sweden for at least five years. A community that uses violence, discriminates or works against democracy usually gets no grant.
Other religions also have holidays. Jews celebrate Pesach (Passover) around April. In Jewish tradition, it recalls how the Jews left slavery in Egypt. The Swedish word påsk (Easter) comes from pesach.
Public holidays in Sweden
Under the Act on Public Holidays (1989:253), all Sundays and these days are public holidays:
| Public holiday | When |
|---|---|
| Nyårsdagen (New Year's Day) | 1 January |
| Trettondedag jul (Epiphany) | 6 January |
| Långfredagen (Good Friday) | Friday before Easter Sunday |
| Påskdagen (Easter Sunday) | Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March |
| Annandag påsk (Easter Monday) | Day after Easter Sunday |
| Första maj (May Day) | 1 May |
| Kristi himmelsfärdsdag (Ascension Day) | Sixth Thursday after Easter Sunday |
| Pingstdagen (Whit Sunday) | Seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday |
| Nationaldagen (National Day) | 6 June |
| Midsommardagen (Midsummer Day) | Saturday between 20 and 26 June |
| Alla helgons dag (All Saints' Day) | Saturday between 31 October and 6 November |
| Juldagen (Christmas Day) | 25 December |
| Annandag jul (Boxing Day) | 26 December |
Christmas Eve (julafton) and Midsummer Eve (midsommarafton) are not in the law, but the main celebrations are on those days.
Most public holidays belong to the church year, the Christian church calendar. Two are fully secular (sekulär): not religious. May Day became a public holiday in 1939. It is the labour movement's day, and many people march in demonstrations, for example about wages and welfare. National Day on 6 June became a public holiday in 2005. Read more on The country of Sweden.
Holidays and traditions through the year
Many people celebrate Christian holidays without any link to the church. Easter, for example, is for many a time off with family and friends.
The dark winter. Around 1 December comes first Advent, and the church year begins. Advent means "arrival" in Latin. On each of the four Advent Sundays, many people light a new candle in the Advent candlestick. On 13 December comes Lucia. Processions with singing take place, for example, in hospitals, churches and schools. Lucia herself wears white clothes and has candles in her hair.
Christmas. Christians celebrate that Jesus was born. In Sweden and the other Nordic countries, Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas Day, matters most. Many eat Christmas food, and at 3 pm many watch Kalle Anka (Donald Duck) on TV.
Spring. On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate that Jesus rose. In Christian belief, he became alive again. Many people bring in birch twigs (påskris). On the evening of 30 April comes Walpurgis Night (valborgsmässoafton). People light bonfires in many places and greet spring with songs. Students in Uppsala and Lund have especially big celebrations.
Summer. At the end of June comes Midsummer, a party to welcome summer. Midsummer Eve is the Friday before Midsummer Day. Many people sing Små grodorna and other singing games around the Midsummer pole. People often eat herring and new potatoes. Among the Nordic countries, only Sweden and Finland have a Midsummer public holiday.
Autumn. On All Saints' Day, many people remember their dead and light candles on their graves.
New traditions in Sweden
Traditions change. The Christmas tree came here from Germany in the 1800s. Halloween, an American festival on 31 October, has become common in Sweden in recent years.
People who moved to Sweden have brought their own holidays. According to Isof (the Institute for Language and Folklore), many people now celebrate several of them:
- Nouruz is the Persian New Year and newroz the Kurdish New Year. Both are celebrated on 21 March and are not religious. For many Afghans, Kurds and Persians, it is the most important holiday of the year.
- Eid al-Fitr is the festival when the Muslim fasting month (fastemånaden), ramadan, ends. It lasts three days. Many pray together in the mosque, and it is common to give away Eid cookies.
During ramadan, many Muslims neither eat nor drink from sunrise to sunset. There are exceptions, for example children and people who are ill. The Muslim calendar follows the moon. So ramadan comes about eleven days earlier each year.
For more on the test, read what the citizenship test contains and how to study for the test.
Words to know
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Religionsfrihet | Right to practise a religion, and not be forced into one |
| Trossamfund | A group with religious activities, such as a church |
| Statskyrka | A church that is part of the state |
| Kyrkoåret | The Christian church calendar, starting on first Advent |
Example questions about religion, traditions and holidays
This is what the questions look like. Answer in your head, then open the answer. With a free account you practise all free questions and see how you are doing.
Example question 1
What does the Instrument of Government (*regeringsformen*) say about telling people which religion you have?
- AYou must tell this when you apply for citizenship
- BA government agency may not force you to tell this
- CA government agency may force you to tell this if you are 18 or older
- DYou must state your religion when you are entered in the Swedish Population Register (*folkbokföring*)
Swedish original
Vad säger regeringsformen om att berätta vilken religion du har?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. A government agency may not force you to tell this
The Instrument of Government is one of Sweden's fundamental laws (*grundlagar*). It says that public bodies may not force you to say what you believe in religious matters. Public bodies are, for example, the state, the municipalities (*kommuner*) and the agencies (*myndigheter*). The same protection applies to political opinions.
Source: www.riksdagen.se
Example question 2
When is Lucia celebrated in Sweden?
- A13 December
- B6 June
- C1 November
- D31 December
Swedish original
När firas lucia i Sverige?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. 13 December
Lucia is celebrated on 13 December with a Lucia procession (*luciatåg*) and singing. In the past, people believed that the night leading up to 13 December was the longest night of the year. Today Lucia is celebrated in preschools, schools, churches and workplaces.
Source: www.isof.se
Example question 3
How do many people celebrate May Day (*första maj*) in Sweden?
- AWith a Lucia procession (*luciatåg*) and singing, wearing white clothes
- BWith demonstration marches around the country
- CWith cream buns (*semlor*), Shrove Tuesday buns (*fastlagsbullar*) and warm milk
- DWith Advent candles and an Advent calendar
Swedish original
Hur firar många första maj i Sverige?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. With demonstration marches around the country
May Day (*första maj*) is the day of the Swedish labour movement. Many people then join demonstration marches across the country. May Day became a public holiday in 1939. It was the first holiday that is not part of the church year (*kyrkoåret*). National Day (*nationaldagen*) on 6 June became the second in 2005.
Source: www.isof.se
Example question 4
Do you have to belong to a faith community (*trossamfund*) if you live in Sweden?
- AYes, everyone who lives in Sweden must belong to the Church of Sweden
- BNo, no one has to belong to any faith community
- CYes, but you can choose which faith community it is
- DNo, but children must belong to the same faith community as their parents
Swedish original
Måste du tillhöra ett trossamfund om du bor i Sverige?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. No, no one has to belong to any faith community
Under the Act on Faith Communities (*lagen om trossamfund*), no one has to belong to a faith community. A faith community (*trossamfund*) is a religious group with, for example, worship or prayer. An agreement or promise that you must be a member has no effect.
Source: www.riksdagen.se
Example question 5
What is Nouruz, or Newroz?
- AA Persian and Kurdish New Year celebration on 21 March
- BA Jewish festival of lights lasting eight days in December
- CA Christian holiday 50 days after Easter
- DA Muslim holiday that ends the pilgrimage to Mecca
Swedish original
Vad är nouruz, eller newroz?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. A Persian and Kurdish New Year celebration on 21 March
Nouruz is the Persian New Year, and Newroz is the Kurdish one. They are celebrated at the spring equinox on 21 March. For many Persians, Afghans and Kurds, it is the most important holiday of the year. The celebration is not religious.
Source: www.isof.se
Questions on the topic with explanations and sources. Free account.