So viele Feiertage gibt es in Schweden tatsächlich (und wie werden sie gefeiert)

Hey everyone, it’s your Holiday Little Assistant back with another deep dive! Recently, one of our readers asked me “how many public holidays are there in Sweden?” – great question! I’ve done the research and I’m excited to break it all down for you today.

So let’s get straight to it: Sweden officially recognizes 11 public holidays each year. These are what Swedes call “röda dagar” or “red days” because they’re traditionally marked in red on calendars. But here’s where it gets interesting – Sweden’s approach to holidays is actually pretty unique compared to other countries.

What’s cool about Swedish holidays is that many of them fall on fixed dates, but if they happen to land on a weekend, they don’t get moved to a weekday like in some other countries. This means sometimes you might get a holiday on a Saturday or Sunday without getting a weekday off work. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, like Midsummer’s Eve, which always gets celebrated on the Friday between June 19th and 25th.

Questions Related to Swedish Public Holidays

Now I know what you might be wondering – which holidays actually give people time off work? While there are 11 official public holidays, not all of them automatically mean a day off for everyone. Many businesses and government offices close on these days, but it ultimately depends on your employment contract and workplace policies. The really big ones like Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and National Day are widely observed as time off.

Another common question is about those famous Swedish traditions. Each holiday comes with its own special customs that Swedes absolutely love. For example, during Easter, children dress up as “Easter witches” and go door-to-door exchanging drawings for candy. On Midsummer, everyone heads to the countryside to dance around maypoles and eat herring with snaps. And who could forget Lucia Day on December 13th, when processions of children wearing white gowns and candle crowns sing traditional songs?

People also often ask about the most unique Swedish holiday – that would definitely be “Kräftskiva” or crayfish party season in August. While not an official public holiday, it’s such a big deal that it might as well be! Swedes gather for massive outdoor parties eating crayfish, drinking snaps, and wearing silly paper hats.

According to Swedish holiday traditions, the way holidays are celebrated really reflects the national character – there’s always good food (especially herring in various forms), plenty of singing, and a strong connection to nature and changing seasons. Many holidays also have pre-celebrations the day before, like Christmas Eve being more important than Christmas Day itself.

FAQPro: Thank you for reading, I hope this article helps you fully understand Swedish public holidays. If you have more questions about holidays in Sweden or any other country, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!