Sweden, the first country that turns on the Christmas lights

The Swedish winter is a season full of lights behind the windows and on the streets: the time of year to toast with glögg, a spiced wine, flavoured with almonds and raisins. The drink is distributed by street vendors in the many Christmas markets, between the stalls of craft products. This is the reason why so many say that the celebration is even more magical in Sweden.

Gothenburg is well known for the big Christmas market of Liseberg Park, which will open as early as November 18th. In the second half of November in Stockholm the small market of the old city, one of the more picturesque in the world, will be the first market to open. Gothenburg is also waiting for December 1st, when three kilometres will be lit up from the harbour to Liseberg park, in a mixture of traditional lights and technology. And next to the Royal Palace in Stockholm you can admire one of the largest Christmas trees in the world.

A habit which many Swedes are loyal to is the Christmas buffet, the Julbord: typical regional meals such as marinated herring, salmon, sausages, meatballs, and pickled ham with mustard. In Stockholm, these meals can also be enjoyed on vintage boats that offer unique views of the wonderful archipelago that surrounds the capital city.

Also much loved in Sweden are the Christmas concerts, in every neighbourhood of the city. But the most popular celebration is definitely the Saint Lucia on December 13th, whose main venues in Stockholm are among the churches and at the Skansen, the open-air museum. In homage to the tradition, the ‘Lucia’ offers typical saffron buns (lussebullar), along with the other boys and girls wearing the characteristic white robes and crowns of candles on their heads, singing Christmas carols. And just north of Gothenburg, the Bohuslän coast awaits those who are looking for authentic winter nature, with mysterious roads and villages that seem to come from fairy tales.

@AldoCiummo