Swedish Traditions and Holidays : An Encyclopedic Calendar

The year is full of traditions, holidays, and festivities that Swedes celebrate at specific times. Some are new, others have been celebrated for a long while. But what do we really know about the origins and history of Valentine’s Day, New Year’s, Walpurgis Night or Mother’s Day?

The year is full of traditions, holidays, and festivities that Swedes celebrate at specific times. Some are new, others have been celebrated for a long while. But what do we really know about the origins and history of Valentine’s Day, New Year’s, Walpurgis Night or Mother’s Day? This book provides a description of Swedish holidays and traditions during the year, with a focus on their cultural roots. Along with the major holidays of Easter, Midsummer, Christmas and New Year’s, attention is given to other dates on the calendar such as St Olaf’s Day and Michaelmas. Through them, we get a glimpse of what Swedish people’s lives and conditions were like in pre-industrial society. Folklorist Tora Wall guides us through the calendar year and examines the origins, history and customs – both historical and contemporary – of Sweden’s traditions and holidays. This beautifully designed and richly illustrated edition was inspired by the family bibles found in almost every Swedish home in the early 1900’s.