What First Advent Sunday Means in Sweden
First Advent Sunday (första advent) marks the beginning of the Advent season in Sweden and is widely regarded as the informal start of the Christmas period. It falls on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, so it can occur anywhere from late November to early December. For many Swedes, the day is less a single event than the opening of a month of preparation, candle-lighting, and gathering that leads up to Christmas Eve, which is the main gift-giving and feasting day in Sweden.
Although Advent is a Christian season of preparation for Christmas, in Sweden it functions as both a religious and a broadly cultural observance. Churchgoing Swedes attend Advent services, while many non-churchgoers still mark the day at home with candles, decorations, and seasonal food.
Origins and Historical Background
Advent as a period of preparation before Christmas is an old Christian tradition, and its observance spread across Europe in the Middle Ages. In Sweden, as in much of Scandinavia, the season became associated with light in the darkest part of the year, a theme that shaped later customs.
The modern Swedish Advent is closely tied to the tradition of the Advent candle and the Advent calendar, both of which became popular in the 19th and 20th centuries. The electric Advent candelabra, a distinctive Swedish fixture, became common in the 20th century and remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the season. The day was also shaped by the broader commercialization of Christmas, which made First Advent a key shopping and decorating weekend.
Candles and Light
Light is the central motif of Swedish Advent. The most characteristic custom is the Advent candelabra (adventsljusstake), typically holding four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. One candle is lit on First Advent, and another is added each subsequent Sunday until all four are burning on the fourth Sunday.
- Four-candle candelabras are common in homes, schools, workplaces, and churches.
- Electric Advent candelabras, often shaped like a small tree or arch with seven bulbs, are placed in windows and remain lit through the season.
- Stars and other light decorations are also hung in windows during Advent.
The lighting of the first candle on First Advent is often a small family ceremony, sometimes accompanied by a song or a reading.
Advent Calendars and Decorations
First Advent is traditionally the day when Christmas decorations begin to go up in many Swedish homes. Advent calendars, both paper calendars with a flap to open each day and more elaborate versions, are widely used, especially by children. Television Advent calendars, a daily program aired in December, are a long-standing Swedish tradition, though they run through the month rather than being tied to the first Sunday alone.
Decorations typically include candles, stars, wreaths, and the gradual introduction of Christmas items such as table runners and curtains.
Food and Drink
Swedish Advent food is closely linked to the Christmas season as a whole. First Advent is a common occasion for the first glögg of the year, the mulled wine served warm with spices and often accompanied by raisins and almonds. It is frequently paired with pepparkakor (gingerbread biscuits) and saffron buns (lussekatter), though lussekatter are most strongly associated with Saint Lucia's Day on 13 December.
- Glögg — mulled wine, often non-alcoholic versions for children, served warm.
- Pepparkakor — thin, spiced gingerbread biscuits.
- Julmust — a sweet, malt-based soft drink strongly associated with the Swedish Christmas season.
- Saffron buns — golden, saffron-flavored buns, especially associated with Lucia but eaten throughout Advent.
First Advent is also a popular day for the first of the season's Christmas smörgåsbord gatherings, though the main julbord meals tend to cluster closer to Christmas.
Religious Observances
In the Church of Sweden and other Christian congregations, First Advent is observed with special services. The day begins the liturgical year in many Western Christian traditions, and Advent services often include the lighting of the first candle, hymns, and readings that anticipate Christmas. Churches may hold family services, concerts, and Advent vespers during the season.
For practicing Christians, the day retains its character as a time of reflection and preparation, distinct from the more festive celebrations of Christmas itself.
Civic and Public Festivities
First Advent is not a public holiday in Sweden, and shops, schools, and workplaces generally operate normally. Nevertheless, it is a busy weekend for commerce and public events.
- Christmas markets and fairs are often held on or around First Advent, particularly in cities and historic sites.
- Department stores and shopping districts see heavy traffic as Christmas shopping begins in earnest.
- Advent concerts, choir performances, and candle-lit services take place in churches and concert halls.
- Many towns and neighborhoods hold tree-lighting ceremonies and other seasonal gatherings.
The weekend is often treated as the moment when the Christmas season officially opens in public life.
Regional Variations
Sweden is a long country, and the practical experience of First Advent varies with latitude and local tradition. In the far north, the day falls during the polar night period, when daylight is very limited, making candle and electric light decorations especially prominent. In the south, daylight hours are longer, and the contrast between the darkness and the Advent lights is less extreme.
Local Christmas markets and their timing differ from place to place, and some regions have their own distinctive seasonal foods and customs. Beyond these general patterns, the core observances — candles, glögg, decorations, and church services — are shared across the country.
Summary
First Advent Sunday in Sweden is the informal opening of Christmas. It is marked by the lighting of the first Advent candle, the appearance of candelabras and window lights, the start of decorating, and the first glögg and gingerbread of the season. Churches observe it with Advent services, while towns and shops mark it with markets, concerts, and the beginning of the Christmas shopping period. Though not a public holiday, it is one of the most atmospheric days of the Swedish year, and its customs are shared nationwide, with regional differences shaped mainly by latitude and local tradition.