First thing first, in Sweden we celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December. Unlike many other countries who celebrate the day after, Swedish Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day.
The morning of Christmas Eve looks different for every family, but in my family we started with Christmas breakfast which usually involved Christmas ham, bread, ginger bread, hot chocolate, coffee and sometimes saffron buns.
The morning of Christmas Eve is also when the last episode of julkalendern (The Christmas Calendar tv show) airs. So, of course, most children are very excited to see the final episode.
A maybe surprising Swedish Christmas tradition is that we all watch Donald Duck with friends, each year, as part of the celebrations. This is a beloved tradition for many Swedes, dating as far back as its premier in 1960.
After watching Donald Duck, or Kalle Anka as we say in Swedish, it is time for dinner. Although Swedish Christmas traditions, and foods, are changing and developing each year, in my family my grandmother used to serve classic Swedish Christmas dishes such as Christmas ham, salmon, meatballs, bread and of course julmust - the popular Swedish Christmas drink.
Since we are in Sweden it gets dark very early, especially in December, so once dinner is finished it is time for presents. In my family my grandfather and cousins dressed up as Santa Claus to deliver the gifts.
An old Swedish tradition that is not as common anymore, but that was very cherished in my family, was the custom of writing rhymes to go with each gift. The rhyme is read out loud and gives a hint of what the present is and what it is used for, and it is then opened by the recipient.
It is also common to dance around the Christmas tree to popular songs that involve different movements and actions. In general, Swedish Christmas traditions are based around family, food, and of course - Donald Duck! It is one of my favorite Swedish holidays, and it really does bring family together.
