Integrera
112 Emergency help
Menu
Integrera
Call 112 · Emergency help

Culture and leisure Area 22 of 25

Culture, holidays and traditions

Tell a public holiday apart from a tradition. People celebrate differently and traditions change.

Goal: understand the basics and find the right official help route.

Translated from Swedish. Always rely on the Swedish text and the official source.

Show the original Swedish text

Kultur, högtider och traditioner

Skilj helgdag från tradition. Människor firar olika och traditioner förändras.

  • Nationaldagen den 6 juni är en allmän helgdag.
  • Midsommardagen är lördagen mellan 20 och 26 juni.
  • Juldagen och annandag jul är allmänna helgdagar.
  • Lucia förknippas med 13 december men är inte egen allmän helgdag i lagen.
  • Isof beskriver hur luciatågens former varierar och förändras.
  1. Kontrollera datum och om dagen är helgdag.
  2. Kontrollera verksamhetens egna öppettider.
  3. Respektera olika sätt att fira eller avstå.

Helgdag betyder inte att alla är lediga från jobbet. Traditioner är inte skyldigheter och alla firar inte likadant.

Good to know

  • National Day on 6 June is a public holiday. 1

  • Midsummer Day is the Saturday between 20 and 26 June. 1

  • Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays. 1

  • Lucia is associated with 13 December but is not a public holiday of its own under the law. 1 2

  • Isof describes how the forms of Lucia processions vary and change. 3

Three steps to get started

  1. Check the date and whether the day is a public holiday.

  2. Check the opening hours of the place you want to visit.

  3. Respect different ways of celebrating or not taking part.

A practical checklist to try. It does not add any legal requirements.

Important distinctions

A public holiday does not mean that everyone is off work. Traditions are not obligations and not everyone celebrates in the same way.

Practice question

Is every tradition a public holiday?
Show the right answer and explanation

B. No, they are different categories.

Lucia is a tradition but not a public holiday of its own under the law.

This question is practice, not a test. Answers are not saved.

Sources

  1. Sveriges riksdag / SFS

    Lag om allmänna helgdagar

    “nationaldagen den 6 juni”

  2. Institutet för språk och folkminnen

    Lucia

    “helgonkalendern den 13 december”

  3. Institutet för språk och folkminnen

    Luciatåg – en levande tradition

    “traditioner är i ständig förändring.”

Checked . Check the source again before you act. Rules and contact routes can change.

In depth

Modules and guides

10 modules in this area. Everyone can read the modules marked Free. The rest are part of Premium.

10 modules in this area. You have Premium and can read everything.

  1. Holidays of the year and the calendar Free 4 sections

    Which days are public holidays by law? Which holidays do many people celebrate? And why are there several calendars in one country?

    Public holidays by law

    The law Lagen om allmänna helgdagar (the Public Holidays Act) lists the public holidays in Sweden. In the calendar they are often called “red days”. All Sundays are also public holidays.

    • New Year's Day – 1 January.
    • Epiphany – 6 January.
    • Good Friday – the Friday before Easter Sunday.
    • Easter Sunday – the Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March.
    • Easter Monday – the day after Easter Sunday.
    • May Day – 1 May.
    • Ascension Day – the sixth Thursday after Easter Sunday.
    • Whit Sunday – the seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday.
    • National Day – 6 June.
    • Midsummer Day – the Saturday between 20 and 26 June.
    • All Saints' Day – the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November.
    • Christmas Day – 25 December.
    • Boxing Day – 26 December.

    Tip: Easter, Ascension Day and Whit Sunday move every year. Check a current calendar.

    Eves are not public holidays

    Christmas Eve, Midsummer Eve and New Year's Eve are not in the law. So they are not public holidays.

    Still, many people celebrate most on these evenings. Christmas is mainly celebrated on 24 December. Midsummer is mainly celebrated on Midsummer Eve, which is always a Friday.

    Tip: Whether you are off work on an eve depends on your workplace. Ask in good time.

    The year, a selection
    • February: Sami National Day on 6 February and the Day of the Finns in Sweden on 24 February.
    • March: Nouruz/Newroz, the New Year. Many people with roots in Iran, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and other countries celebrate it around 21 March.
    • March or April: Easter.
    • 30 April: Walpurgis Night, with bonfires and spring songs in many places.
    • 6 June: Sweden's National Day and Swedish Flag Day.
    • June: Midsummer.
    • August: the crayfish party, a party to end the summer.
    • October–November: All Saints' Day and Diwali.
    • December: Advent, Lucia on 13 December and Christmas.
    Several calendars in one country

    Sweden celebrates holidays from many cultures and religions. Sveriges nationella förteckning över levande kulturarv (the national list of living cultural heritage) includes, among others, Diwali, Nouruz/Newroz, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and the Sabbath.

    Many of these holidays follow a different calendar. So they fall on different dates in different years. Rosh Hashanah falls in September or October, for example. Diwali falls in late October or early November.

    Tip: Ask colleagues, classmates and neighbours what they celebrate. It is an easy way to get to know each other.

    Sources

  2. Public holidays, time off and opening hours How-to guide Premium 4 sections

    A public holiday does not automatically mean you have the day off. This is how you find out what applies to jobs, shops and authorities.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Är jag ledig på en röd dag?

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Rätt till vila

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Öppettider runt högtider

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Guide: planera inför en storhelg

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  3. Lucia, Christmas and winter traditions Premium 4 sections

    Advent, Lucia, Christmas Eve and Epiphany – what happens when it is at its darkest and why.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Advent

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Lucia den 13 december

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Julafton den 24 december

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Efter julafton

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  4. Easter and spring traditions Premium 4 sections

    Easter witches, Easter twigs, Walpurgis bonfires and May Day – this is how spring is welcomed.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Påsken

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Seder i påsk

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Valborgsmässoafton 30 april

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Första maj

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  5. Midsummer and summer traditions Premium 4 sections

    Midsummer pole, herring and strawberries – and the crayfish party in August. Old customs that are still fairly new.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Midsommar

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Gammalt och nytt

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Sommaren och semestern

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Kräftskiva i augusti

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  6. National Day and public ceremonies Premium 3 sections

    Why is the Swedish national day celebrated on 6 June, what is a flag day and how does a citizenship ceremony work?

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Varför 6 juni?

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Så firas nationaldagen

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Allmänna flaggdagar

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  7. Religion and different views of life Premium 4 sections

    Sweden has freedom of religion. You may believe in what you want – or not believe at all – and no one may force you.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Religionsfrihet i grundlagen

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Kyrka och stat

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Staten och trossamfunden

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Tro i vardagen

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  8. History overviews with timelines Premium 4 sections

    From the Viking Age to the EU and NATO – a short timeline of Swedish history.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Från istid till medeltid

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Vasatid och stormaktstid

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Det moderna Sverige

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Ett land med lång migrationshistoria

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  9. Culture, art and shared stories Premium 4 sections

    Pippi, ABBA and study circles – stories and cultural heritage that many people in Sweden share.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Astrid Lindgren

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Musik

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Levande kulturarv

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    De nationella minoriteternas kultur

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

  10. Regional differences and choosing whether to take part How-to guide Premium 3 sections

    Traditions differ between places and families. You choose for yourself what you want to take part in.

    This module is only available in Swedish for now.

    Part of Premium

    This module and all other in-depth modules and guides are part of Premium.

    You are logged in with a free account. Get Premium to read this module.

    Unlock with Premium Already have Premium? Log in

    Launch price 49 SEK/month

    Olika på olika orter

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Det är frivilligt

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

    Guide: om du blir bjuden

    Locked section. Part of Premium.

General information, not individual legal, medical or financial advice.

Esc