WEIRD SWEDISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS | MY SWEDISH CHRISTMAS CALENDAR #22 

Hello everybody! I am finally feeling better although not being a 100% well just yet. Hence, I had to make this episode a little bit simpler episode than planned, but I hope you like it anyway! God Jul and hope I'll see you tomorrow! xo/Maria

I love the idea that you make a party out of taking down the Christmas tree! I hope you have a fantastic Christmas season.

I am watching in 2020 - this series of videos is wonderful 🎄 thank you

Thank you so much, Maria, for keeping on with your Advent Calendar - I love it!

My Swedish grandparents always used to drive to Church on Christmas Eve with a horsedrawn sleigh across the frozen lake to the Church where my grandfather was the Priest. All the parishioners carried candle lanterns and my mother said it looked incredible seeing all the lights as they drove towards the church. It sounded magical. So being in the UK we always celebrated both days, Christmas Eve was decorating the tree, sitting by the fire in the dark with candles while our mother read stories to us, a special meal followed by the midnight service at church walking across the fields to get there with the bells ringing over the countryside, then home to hot chocolate and one present each. Then on 25th we opened our stocking in the dark early in the morning, then did our chores, and had breakfast by the open fire, opened the rest of our presents, had milky coffee with spicy cakes, and then made a huge special lunch. After that we spent the afternoon reading our new books and playing games in the afternoon. A magical time. Boxing Day, the 26th was when we went out and had a long walk in the countryside. It is so important for children to have these customs and memories of special family times. I like the idea of watching Donald Duck though: sounds fun!!! I'm glad to hear you are feeling a little better:)

I believe the Celts also began their day with dusk . Just before our Christmas decorations are taken down we celebrate 'little Christmas' on the 6th of January. It's traditionally a time when the women that have worked so hard preparing Christmas, take the day off to kick up their heels and party. Little gifts that can be used for pampering (bathing products or chocolates) are sometimes given on this day too. It comes from my Irish ancestry. I also have Dutch, German, Scottish and Norwegian. So we celebrate Saint Nicholas, Saint Lucia and Hogmanay as well as Christmas. Winter is one long celebration :) Dear Maria, I am sorry to hear you have been poorly and hope you are soon fully on the mend. I am an old lady so this might sound old-fashioned, but have you tried warm foot baths? they can be very reviving.

Bingewatching your latest videos with a huuuge cup of tea now because I had a full packed week full of work.

The Donald Duck tradition is so funny! I’d never even heard of his Christmas episodes, something I’ll have to check out!

Hi Maria I thought hanging mistletoe above doorways so people standing underneath them would get a kiss from everyone was weird. But, 20 days after Christmas the plundering of the candy canes and the desecration of the almighty Christmas tree made me laugh. In my opinion, most people in America get rid of their tree the day after Christmas because they've had enough and or they've recently got their Visa bill in the mail for what they've purchased for Christmas. Other people you have to take them Kicking and Screaming to the tree in order for them to take it down oh, they want the moment to last forever. Mickey Mouse over here in America is pretty much an icon. I myself am 57 and still have Mickey Mouse stuff from when I was a kid. Walt Disney had a vision when they first started drawing the character in the beginning there were many different varieties of a mouse to be put into production but they chose the one you see now obviously. In any event, thank you for another nice video and some information to ponder, I wish you and hubby well and if not hearing from you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Canandaigua lake n.y.

Yay! We have that Donald Duck show on DVD and watch it every year. 💕 Plundering the tree is understandable....there comes a time when we want to get back to normal! Great episodes, Maria, thank you. XOjennyinseattle

Hello, Maria! Great to hear you are feeling better! 💕☕ These traditions sound so fun to me! I don't know, I just like to repeatedly do all the same things each year on these Christmas holidays! 😁 So I think it's great to have such traditions (even if they are sometimes weird 😉).

We in the Czech Republic also celebrate Christmas Eve on 24th :) so it´s not so weird to me :D

It's not so weird. Living in the Netherlands we celebrated on December 24th which I kept up with on our return home to Australia. But we overflow onto 25th here as this is when my now grown children come to visit. I prefer it on 24th. Nighttime, candles, Christmas lights, all make it so magical. Also it's a bit cooler at night here in Summer, sometimes! The tv watching? I love it! It's a tradition! So must be done xxx We are only one sleep away for those who celebrate December 24th and 2 sleeps away for those celebrating December 25th. Thankyou again for yet another Swedish Advent vlog. One more to go???? Much love xxxx

Dear Maria, advent is coming to an end, and I must confess I will miss your daily videos a lot. It’s like having a cup of coffe together everyday with you. Thank you So much for the advice, now I can comment from my phone 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

Enjoyed!😄❤👍

In germany, we also celebrate at the evening of 24th December. I love it, since it is dark and calm and athmospheric with candles. And we get to celebrate christmas longer this way. :)

That was so interesting! I just always accepted the fact that we celebrate Christmas a day earlier than other countries - but, really, it's the same day, only we are a bit more impatient for Christmas celebrations to start ;) Here in Germany, we traditionally throw out the Christmas tree after December 6th, which is the day of the Heilige Drei Könige (which I think translates to The Three Wise Men) and which, in the Christian tradition, marks the end of the Christmas celebrations. It's so fascinating to see the similarities and differences between Swedish and German Christmas traditions :)

In Germany we also celebrate christmas eve on the 24th Dezember :). God Jul

Did you know that the Islamic calendar also recognizes the next day at sunset? so Ramadan and Eid are official at the sunset of the previous day...Anyway i love watching all your videos with my morning coffee and my two year old son asks to watch you...much love!