{"id":2036,"date":"2011-04-22T20:09:09","date_gmt":"2011-04-22T19:09:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/?page_id=2036"},"modified":"2023-08-07T06:13:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T13:13:33","slug":"easter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/holiday\/easter\/","title":{"rendered":"Easter in Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
| Fat Tuesday<\/a> | Waffle Day<\/a> | Easter<\/a> | Walpurgis Night<\/a> | Mother’s Day<\/a> |<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
| Midsummer<\/a> | Halloween<\/a> | Lucia<\/a> | Christmas<\/a> |<\/h5>\n\n\n
\n
\"Medieval<\/a>
Medieval crucifix, Buttle church, Gotland.
Picture from Swedish History Museum historiska.se<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Easter (Sw. p\u00e5sk<\/i>, pronounced \u201dpoh-sk\u201d) is the foremost holiday in all Christian countries. Considering that Swedes, compared to most other nationalities, are a very secularized people, one can wonder how Easter is celebrated in Sweden. Do Swedes celebrate Easter at all? Yes, we do, but\u2026 the most common celebrations have their origin not in Christian mythology but in native superstition and folklore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, we have a Christian history (and at least some Swedes attend church services during Easter\u2026 well, quite a few, actually). At least, our Christian history has left traces in the names of the holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may not be very likely, but in case you should find yourself discussing holidays with a Swede, you\u2019d be better off if you knew about the funny day names in Stilla veckan<\/b> <\/i>(\u201dSilent Week\u201d), so let\u2019s start with that, before we look into how Easter is celebrated in Sweden:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The days of the Holy Week<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bl\u00e5m\u00e5ndag<\/b>, translating to \u201dBlue Monday\u201d, is a commonly used Swedish name for Shrove Monday. This day has also, for unknown reasons, been known as Fl\u00e4skm\u00e5ndag<\/i> (Pork Monday) or Korvm\u00e5ndag<\/i> (Sausage Monday). Maybe these were the original names, because the real Bl\u00e5m\u00e5ndag<\/i> is actually the Monday before Lent\u2026 Why the name lately has migrated six weeks forward is yet one of the Easter mysteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vita tisdagen<\/b> means \u201dWhite Tuesday\u201d. Like the previous name, this one has also migrated six weeks closer to spring: Vita tisdagen<\/i> is originally another name for Fat Tuesday. Misunderstandings do happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dymmelonsdag<\/b> is the true name of the third day. It\u2019s a weird name. The second part of the word, onsdag<\/i>, means Wednesday, but the first part? The word dymmel<\/i> is very old, quite archaic, probably with the same origin as the English word \u201ddumb\u201d meaning \u201dmute\u201d. The day got it\u2019s name from the custom to dampen the sound of the church bells for the rest of the week by capping them with cloth or felt and exchange the bronze clapper with a wooden clapper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/b> is Maundy Thursday. This is also a funny word: in modern Swedish, \u201dsk\u00e4r\u201d can mean the color \u201dpink\u201d or the imperative \u201dcut\u201d, but of course that\u2019s not what it means here. It\u2019s as archaic as the previous name and means \u201dpurge\u201d or \u201dclean\u201d. It refers to the story about Jesus washing the disciples\u2019 feet before the last supper. (But I bet that at least some in the younger generation think it means Pink Thursday \u2013 that would fit in nicely with Blue Monday and White Tuesday\u2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u00e5ngfredag<\/b> \u2013 you have already guessed it \u2013 means \u201dLong Friday\u201d. To me, this seems more appropriate than the English name, Good Friday, at least in a Christian perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meaning of L\u00e5ngfredag<\/i> is almost palpable to Swedes of a certain age: before 1969, no shops, restaurants, theatres \u2013 actually nothing \u2013 was allowed to be open on L\u00e5ngfredag.<\/i> Everything was closed. The town seemed dead. There were only two TV channels, one showing church service, the other a documentary on shards of Etruscian clay pots. This day had to be filled with Ludo, Monopoly, or Solitaire, and L\u00e5ngfredag<\/i> really seemed to be long, endless. Today, those interdicts are broken, and L\u00e5ngfredag<\/i> is a \u201dred day\u201d in the calendar, which means that most people are free from work and can frolic in shops, restaurants and entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5skafton<\/b> means just that: Easter Eve. True to the Swedish tradition to celebrate any given holiday on the day before<\/i> the holiday, P\u00e5skafton<\/i> is the day when Swedes celebrate Easter. (Swedes celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, Whitsun on Whitsun Eve, Midsummer on Midsummer Eve, and so on\u2026 maybe because that way, you can use the real holiday to tend your hangover?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5skdagen<\/b> is of course Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annandag P\u00e5sk<\/b> (Easter Monday) would in modern Swedish be called Andra P\u00e5skdagen<\/i>, which translates to \u201dthe second day of Easter\u201d. It\u2019s a red, work-free day.<\/p>\n\n\n

No products found.<\/p>\n\n\n

Traditional Easter Celebrations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Godis! <\/b>(candy, goodies) <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Easter is an orgy in candy, chocolates, and toffee, delivered to the kids in large brightly colored p\u00e5sk\u00e4gg<\/i>, i.e. eggshells of cardboard, plastic or sheet metal; the bigger, the better. That is, kids are constantly sugar-speeded from sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/i> until late on p\u00e5skafton<\/i>, when the p\u00e5sk\u00e4gg<\/i> usually is empty and replenishment from their exhausted parents is unavailable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast to USA, children in Sweden usually do not believe that the eggs have been laid by the Easter Bunny, even if pictures of a bunny are common on their p\u00e5sk\u00e4gg<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5skris<\/b> (~ Easter twigs)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\""P\u00e5skris"<\/a>
“P\u00e5skris” \u2013 500 years ago, the birch twigs were used for flogging<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t done so already, sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/i> is the day when you cut thin twigs of birch and put in a vase, decorated with feathers or down of bright color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cutting birch twigs on sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/i> has its origin in the 17th<\/sup> century, preparing tools for flogging one another on the morning of l\u00e5ngfredag<\/i> to commemorate Jesus\u2019 suffering. The flogging habit died several centuries ago, but the custom to take in birch twigs survived. The idea to beautify the whole thing with brightly colored feathers is however imported from Germany, as late as in the early 20th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Young<\/a>
Witch trainee over Swedish woodlands<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

H\u00e4xor <\/b>(witches)<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/i> is the day when witches supposedly travel to Bl\u00e5kulla<\/i> (~Blue Hill) to have intercourse with the devil before returning on the night before Easter Sunday. The place Bl\u00e5kulla<\/i> seems to exist only in mythology, even if some people mean \u2013 probably because of the name similarity \u2013 that Bl\u00e5kulla<\/i> is the island Bl\u00e5 Jungfrun<\/i> (~the Blue Virgin) in the Baltic Sea. In popular belief, the witches make the journey riding on broomsticks, and on their way they\u2019ll try to snatch children in order to present them to the devil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This myth seems to have been formed in the 16th<\/sup> and 17th<\/sup> centuries. It was the time of witch trials, when thousands of people all over Europe (mostly women) were accused of collaboration with the devil, sentenced and burned at the stake. This gruesome business was common in most Catholic European countries, where some 30,000 women were executed after show trials, but it occurred also in Protestant Sweden, albeit less frequent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5skk\u00e4ringar and P\u00e5skbrev<\/b> (~witches and Easter letters)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"P\u00e5skbrev,<\/a>
P\u00e5skbrev, self-made and preprinted, adorns the window of grocery shop Hagahallen in Karlstad after the shopkeepers FB announcement that every p\u00e5skbrev will be rewarded with an Easter egg. Tradition reversed :-).<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The original etymological meaning of the word k\u00e4ring<\/i> is actually a dear person, \u201da loved one\u201d, but in today\u2019s vernacular, k\u00e4ring<\/i> means \u201dold woman\u201d. And a p\u00e5skk\u00e4ring<\/i> is a witch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, a new habit was formed some 150 years ago, inspired by the waning belief about witches: children started to dress up as p\u00e5skk\u00e4ringar<\/i> and distribute their own drawings in the neighbourhood, called p\u00e5skbrev<\/i> (~Easter letters).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This custom varies across the country: in the beginning, it might have been performed like the original procedure for giving julklappar<\/i> (Christmas presents), i.e. knock on the door, throw in the object, close the door and run. This original procedure is still in use, among other places, in the rather rural western part of the province V\u00e4rmland, and the p\u00e5skbrev<\/i> is filled with candy \u2013 i.e. it\u2019s a gift to one\u2019s friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly enough, this commendable procedure has deteriorated in the cities, where kids made up as p\u00e5skk\u00e4ringar<\/i> roam around offering pre-printed p\u00e5skbrev<\/i> to everybody in the neighbourhood, claiming godis<\/i> in return. Just like Halloween\u2026 sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Waiting<\/a>
Waiting for godisregn.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

P\u00e5skparad<\/b> (Easter Parade)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An Easter Parade is arranged on sk\u00e4rtorsdag<\/i> in some cities, after a modified American concept, with children dressed and painted as witches. In many cities, however, the parade takes place on p\u00e5skafton<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parade usually ends with a godisregn<\/i> (candy rain).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5skbrasa<\/b> (Easter bonfire)<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Traditional<\/a>
Traditional Easter bonfire \u201dp\u00e5skbrasa\u201d in Kinnahult, V\u00e4stra G\u00f6taland (West Gothland)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

To scare witches away, the people used to light up p\u00e5skbrasor<\/i>, i.e. large bonfires. This custom is still common in the southwest part of Sweden, in particular in the province of Bohusl\u00e4n, but is nowadays usually performed on Saturday instead of Thursday (makes you wonder, don\u2019t they want their children back?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lately, this custom has taken on big proportions, creating problems on the islands outside of Gothenburg, where people have discovered that old Christmas trees make excellent bonfires. (Have you seen a dry spruce burn? The intensity is next to explosive.) People are competing for the biggest fire and are even raiding neighbouring villages and suburbs to steal their old Christmas trees. The bonfires have grown to a size that the fire brigade is needed to keep them under control, and local governments have to issue decrees of when, where, and how fires are allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Bonfires are still popular elsewhere and everywhere in chilly Sweden, but today the phenomenon is more common on Walpurgis Night, with speeches about spring, male choirs and general singalong.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

P\u00e5sksm\u00e4llare<\/b> (fire crackers)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In parallell to the bonfires, firecrackers used to be popular on p\u00e5skafton<\/i>, but after numerous accidents and intense propaganda from local authorities, this habit seems to be receding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c4ggpickning<\/b> (egg pecking)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the province of Sk\u00e5ne, in the southmost part of Sweden, \u00e4ggpickning<\/i> is a traditional game on the morning of Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The object of the game is to crack the opponent\u2019s egg. Contests are held in many places, most reknown on the pier in Simrishamn. Each contestant has to bring a painted hard-boiled egg. An umpire scrutinizes the contestants\u2019 eggs to make sure they are real eggs, before the game can begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a real knockout contest: the eggs are knocked against each other, tip against tip, until one breaks and loses. The winner gets the loser\u2019s egg and goes on to meet next contestant. Finally there\u2019s only one egg left intact, and the winner has enough eggs to feed all of his family and neighbours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food and drinks<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like anywhere in the world (?) Easter is associated with eggs also in Sweden, so egg dishes are of course a must on this holiday.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Egg<\/a>
Egg halves with whitefish roe on p\u00e5skbordet.
Picture from icakuriren.se<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

P\u00e5skbordet<\/i>, served on Easter Eve, is basically a version of the classic Swedish sm\u00f6rg\u00e5sbord<\/i>, with the restriction that at this time of year, it must offer eggs prepared in several ways, and it must also offer a number of salmon dishes (cold cmoked, hot smoked, cured, baked, boiled\u2026). The inlagd sill<\/i> (pickled herring) is inevitable (yummy!), and over that, there is usually a selection of meatballs, sausages, pates and quiches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children drink p\u00e5skmust<\/i> (~\u201dEaster sap\u201d), a dark brown carbonated beverage flavored with secret ingredients (this is actually the same beverage as served at Christmas under the name of julmust<\/i>). Adults usually drink beer and akvavit (except designated drivers, who of course will have to make do with p\u00e5skmust<\/i>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner on Easter Sunday is often a lamb steak, and to start with, there is usually a lot of leftovers from from the day before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

| Fat Tuesday | Waffle Day | Easter | Walpurgis Night | Mother’s Day | | Midsummer | Halloween | Lucia | Christmas | Easter (Sw. p\u00e5sk, pronounced \u201dpoh-sk\u201d) is the foremost holiday in all Christian countries. Considering that Swedes, compared to most other nationalities, are a very secularized people, one can wonder how Easter … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":344,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yst_prominent_words":[990,548,1569],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2036"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2036"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33211,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2036\/revisions\/33211"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.swedishfreak.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=2036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}