The Local Sweden

Five Swedish winter recipes to warm you up this Christmas

Wed, 16 Dec 2015 09:04:28 +0100

Hearty food is the best antidote to winter gloom, so we've compiled a selection of our favourite traditional Swedish recipes for the holiday season.

Students turn Swedish viral scream into Trump protest

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 16:54:44 +0100

Every night at 10pm, students at Sweden’s Uppsala University take part in the 'Flogsta scream' or 'Flogsta roar': a bizarre phenomenon where residents of the Flogsta area open their windows and scream at the top of their lungs, leading to viral videos that have caused people the world over to think that Swedes are absolutely insane.

Seven totally Swedish wedding traditions

Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:09:00 +0200

Marriages are celebrated slightly differently in Sweden. Wedding planner Mariella Gink gives The Local the lowdown on some of Sweden’s quirkier wedding traditions.

The Local's Countdown to Christmas

Mon, 01 Dec 2014 16:00:00 +0100

It's Christmas time in Sweden! But what does it all mean? Welcome to The Local's Countdown to Christmas, with everything you need to know about traditions, gifts, food, drink, markets and more.

All Saints: lighting a candle for the past

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:25:00 +0100

This weekend is All Saints, Allhelgonahelg, when every graveyard in Sweden bathes in the glow of hundreds of flickering candles lit by Swedes coming to remember their dead.

Swedish students' howls echo across the world

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 10:43:00 +0100

A video featuring the spontaneous, unsettling screams of university students in Sweden is making waves across the world, shedding light on a curious Swedish university tradition the origins of which remain unclear.

The octogenarian Saint Lucia choir: still in tune

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:53:00 +0100

A broken lift, missing batteries, and a wobbly 83-year-old Saint Lucia couldn't dampen spirits among the members of an elderly cooperative choir south of Stockholm, The Local's Lucia-themed pick for Swede(s) of the Week.

'Angels have nothing to do with Christmas in Sweden'

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:32:00 +0100

Following his two-year-old daughter's troubles settling on an outfit for a Saint Lucia Day procession, contributor Steven Karwoski takes an ironic look at the meaning of Christmas in Sweden.

'It often feels like Christmas in Sweden is only about presents'

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:42:00 +0100

Rampant holiday consumerism is hard to avoid, writes US-native and parent Rebecca Ahlfeldt, as she struggles to reconcile competing Swedish and American Christmas traditions in finding gifts for her children.

Creating a Christmas home, Swedish style

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:42:00 +0100

Looking for tips for how to give your home some Swedish Christmas flare? Interior design blogger Niki Brantmark provides a few ideas to help turn your home into a cutting edge Swedish winter wonderland.

Celebrating St. Martin: blood soup, anyone?

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:41:00 +0100

St. Martin's Day, November 11th, might not be the most important event in the Christian calendar, but some Swedes – particularly in Skåne – celebrate the day with gusto. Usually by drinking blood.

A video look at All Saints in Sweden

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:56:00 +0100

For anyone curious to know how Swedes mark All Saints (Allhelgonahelg), check out this beautiful video that captures the scene at a cemetery near Stockholm.

Crayfish: the messiest party of the year

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:02:00 +0200

Gobbling crayfish is a 500 year old tradition in Sweden but the annual August crayfish parties can be a minefield for a first-timer. Contributor Elizabeth Dacey-Fondelius advises on how to slurp like a native.

Valborg - Sweden blazes into springtime

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:00:00 +0200

Winter's over. Summer is just around the corner. That's as good a cause for celebration in Sweden as any, and the revelry on Valborgsmässoafton - Walpurgis Night - on April 30th gets pretty heated.

Easter in Sweden: when the witches come out to play

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:23:00 +0200

Brightly coloured feathers in blues, reds, yellows and glaring pinks tied to long willowy twigs sold beside daffodil buds tip off the arrival of the Easter season in Sweden.

Does Swedish culture hinder Swedish children?

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:34:00 +0100

While Sweden's emphasis on equality is admirable, it may end up keeping Swedish children from striving to be the best they can be, argues contributor Ruben Brunsveld.

Sweden Democrats decry secular school song

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:20:00 +0200

The far-right Sweden Democrats have proposed forcing schools to offer a church service sing-song at the end of term, expressing concern over the secular trend among Swedish schools.

Tourist board seeks folk costume renaissance

Tue, 25 May 2010 15:46:00 +0200

The Swedish Tourist Association (Svenska Turistföreningen - STF) is hoping that a design competition will encourage people to rediscover the traditional folk costume and provide a debonair wedding gift for Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling.

Two boys seriously injured after illegal circumcision

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:01:00 +0200

Astrid Lindgren's hospital in Solna near Stockholm has alerted police to suspicions of illegal circumcisions that have left two small boys with injuries.

Swedish church unveils Lego Jesus for Easter

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:28:00 +0200

While most Christians mark Easter with prayers and song, one Swedish church opened its mass on Sunday by unveiling a life-size Lego statue of Jesus Christ, its pastor told AFP.