As a Swede who has worked with many Americans, I never really understood their obsession with Disney. In Sweden, Disney movies are, in general, only for kids.
However, this is not true for Christmas… Because for Christmas around 3 million Swedes turn on their TV’s to watch Donald Duck and his friends wishing us a Merry Christmas.
Having lived abroad, and seen that no one else has this tradition, I realized just how strange this Swedish Christmas tradition is. It makes little to no sense, yet it is a beloved part of Christmas traditions that is still going strong today.
Despite TV ratings dipping recently, and going just under 3 million viewers in 2023, watching Donald Duck is still a popular Christmas Tradition for many.
Personally I rarely watch it. I have spent the past 10 years abroad and Swedish Christmas traditions are not really something I bring with me (apart from Lussebullar of course). However, I still love this Christmas tradition and highly recommend it for anyone who has not tried it. It truly, a one of a kind authentic Swedish Christmas experience!
