Swedish Holidays and Traditions: The Complete Guide

Anyone who moves to Sweden soon notices that the year has its very own rhythm here. Some holidays may be familiar from home – but they are celebrated differently. Others, like Midsummer or Lucia, are distinctly Swedish and are the highlights of the year for many families.

In this article you will find all public holidays for 2026 and 2027, an explanation of the most important traditions and practical tips so you don't end up in front of a closed shop.

Public holidays 2026 and 2027

In Sweden, public holidays are colloquially called röda dagar – "red days", because they are marked in red on the calendar. They are set out in the Public Holidays Act (Lag 1989:253 om allmänna helgdagar).

Holidays 2026

• Nyårsdagen (New Year's Day): Thursday, 1 January
• Trettondedag jul (Epiphany): Tuesday, 6 January
• Långfredagen (Good Friday): Friday, 3 April
• Påskdagen (Easter Sunday): Sunday, 5 April
• Annandag påsk (Easter Monday): Monday, 6 April
• Första maj (May Day): Friday, 1 May
• Kristi himmelsfärdsdag (Ascension Day): Thursday, 14 May
• Pingstdagen (Whit Sunday): Sunday, 24 May
• Sveriges nationaldag (National Day): Saturday, 6 June
• Midsommardagen (Midsummer Day): Saturday, 20 June
• Alla helgons dag (All Saints' Day): Saturday, 31 October
• Juldagen (Christmas Day): Friday, 25 December
• Annandag jul (Boxing Day): Saturday, 26 December

Holidays 2027

• Nyårsdagen: Friday, 1 January
• Trettondedag jul: Wednesday, 6 January
• Långfredagen: Friday, 26 March
• Påskdagen: Sunday, 28 March
• Annandag påsk: Monday, 29 March
• Första maj: Saturday, 1 May
• Kristi himmelsfärdsdag: Thursday, 6 May
• Pingstdagen: Sunday, 16 May
• Sveriges nationaldag: Sunday, 6 June
• Midsommardagen: Saturday, 26 June
• Alla helgons dag: Saturday, 6 November
• Juldagen: Saturday, 25 December
• Annandag jul: Sunday, 26 December

Good to know: Whit Monday has not been a public holiday in Sweden since 2005 – it was replaced by National Day on 6 June. And if a holiday falls on a weekend, there is no substitute day off. That makes 2027 a rather "weak" year, as many holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday.

Aftnar and klämdagar – the unofficial days off

Here's the curious part: the most important celebrations in Sweden are not official public holidays at all. Midsommarafton (Midsummer Eve), Julafton (Christmas Eve) and Nyårsafton (New Year's Eve) are legally ordinary days – yet most people have the day off, often thanks to collective agreements (kollektivavtal). In Sweden, the big celebration usually takes place on the eve, the afton.

• Midsommarafton 2026: Friday, 19 June – 2027: Friday, 25 June
• Julafton: 24 December (Thursday in 2026, Friday in 2027)
• Nyårsafton: 31 December (Thursday in 2026, Friday in 2027)

A klämdag ("squeeze day") is a working day squeezed between a public holiday and the weekend – a bridge day. The classic example is the Friday after Ascension Day, which in 2027 is 7 May. Many people take a day off, and some employers give it as a free day.

Our tip: ask your employer which rules apply under your collective agreement – and don't schedule doctor's appointments or visits to authorities on an eve.

Midsummer – the celebration of the year

For many Swedes, Midsummer is more important than Christmas. It is celebrated on the Friday between 19 and 25 June, usually in the countryside, at the summer house or in a park. Typical elements are:

• the midsommarstång – the maypole decorated with leaves and flowers, which people dance around
• dances like "Små grodorna" (The Little Frogs), where everyone hops around like frogs
• flower wreaths in the hair
• pickled herring (sill), new potatoes with dill, sour cream and chives – plus schnapps with drinking songs (snapsvisor)
• strawberries with cream or strawberry cake for dessert

An old custom: if you pick seven different flowers and put them under your pillow, you are said to dream of your future love.

Advent, Lucia and Christmas Eve

In Sweden, the dark season is celebrated with light. From the first Sunday of Advent, almost every window glows with an Advent star and an electric candlestick.

Lucia on 13 December

On the morning of 13 December, children and adults dressed in white walk in procession through schools, preschools, churches and offices. At the front is Lucia with a crown of candles on her head, followed by star boys and gingerbread figures. Traditional treats are saffron buns (lussekatter), gingerbread biscuits (pepparkakor) and mulled wine (glögg).

Christmas Eve on 24 December

Christmas Eve is the highlight of Jul. Typical traditions are:

• the julbord – a Christmas buffet with Christmas ham (julskinka), herring, meatballs, small sausages, Janssons frestelse (a potato and sprat gratin) and rice pudding
• at 3 p.m., "Kalle Anka och hans vänner" (Donald Duck and his friends) on TV – a tradition for decades
• the tomte, who brings the presents in the afternoon or evening

Companies often invite employees to a julbord at a restaurant – a great opportunity to get to know your colleagues better.

Easter, Walpurgis Night and National Day

Påsk (Easter)

At Easter, children dress up as påskkärringar – little Easter witches with headscarves and painted freckles – on Maundy Thursday and go door to door with home-made drawings, hoping for sweets. Birch twigs with colourful feathers (påskris) decorate homes, and eggs, herring and salmon are served.

Valborg on 30 April

On Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Night), spring is welcomed: large bonfires (valborgsbrasor) are lit everywhere, and choirs sing spring songs. The university towns of Uppsala and Lund are especially famous for their celebrations. In 2027, Valborg falls on a Friday.

National Day on 6 June

National Day commemorates the election of Gustav Vasa as king in 1523 and the constitution of 1809. It has only been a day off since 2005. Compared with other countries, it is celebrated rather quietly – with flags, ceremonies and citizenship ceremonies in many municipalities.

Crayfish parties and surströmming – late summer

Kräftskiva

In August, Swedes celebrate the crayfish party, the kräftskiva. Paper lanterns with a moon face hang outdoors, and everyone wears funny paper hats and bibs. People eat crayfish boiled in salt water and dill, served with bread, Västerbotten cheese pie and, of course, schnapps and drinking songs.

Surströmming

Not for the faint-hearted: surströmming is fermented Baltic herring that continues to ferment in the tin. Traditionally, the season starts on the third Thursday of August (surströmmingspremiär). This used to be regulated by law; since 1998 there has been no rule, but many producers and retailers still stick to the date.

Our tip: only open a tin of surströmming outdoors – ideally under water or in a bowl. It is eaten on thin flatbread (tunnbröd) with potatoes, red onion and sour cream.

Semla, cinnamon buns and other sweet days

Swedes love their pastries – and there are even special days for them:

• Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday): the day of the semla, a cardamom bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream. In 2027 it falls on 9 February. In reality, bakeries sell semlor from as early as January.
• Kanelbullens dag on 4 October: Cinnamon Bun Day. It was launched in 1999 to promote home baking.
• And of course there is the daily fika – the coffee break with something sweet, which is an essential part of working life, too.

All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day is much calmer. In Sweden it falls on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. Many families visit cemeteries and light candles on the graves – a very atmospheric sight in the darkness.

Practical tips around the holidays

• Supermarkets are open on many public holidays, often with shorter hours. On Christmas Eve, Midsummer Eve and New Year's Eve, many close early.
• Systembolaget (the state-owned alcohol retailer) is closed on public holidays as well as on Christmas Eve and Midsummer Eve, and usually only open until 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve – shop in advance! Exact times are listed on systembolaget.se.
• Authorities, banks and many medical practices are closed on public holidays and eves.
• Trains and buses often run on a Sunday timetable.
• Preschools (förskolor) sometimes have reduced hours on klämdagar – ask in good time.

Our conclusion

Swedish holidays and traditions are a wonderful way to settle into your new country. Join in: dance around the midsummer pole, watch a Lucia procession, invite friends to a crayfish party and treat yourself to a cinnamon bun on 4 October.

Our tip: add the holidays and eves to your calendar right away and plan your shopping – especially at Systembolaget – in good time. And if colleagues or neighbours invite you to a celebration: say yes. It is the fastest way to make friends.