What the Third Advent Sunday Means in Sweden
Advent is the period of preparation leading up to Christmas, and in Sweden it is observed over the four Sundays before Christmas Day. The Third Advent Sunday, known in Swedish as tredje advent, falls roughly a week and a half before Christmas and marks the midpoint of the Advent season. By this point in December, Swedish homes, shops, and public spaces are typically well into their Christmas preparations, and the third Sunday serves as a milestone in the countdown to julafton (Christmas Eve), the main day of Swedish Christmas celebration.
Like the other Advent Sundays, the day is primarily a domestic and religious observance rather than a major public holiday. It is not a flag day or an official public holiday in Sweden; its significance is cultural and religious rather than civic.
Origins and Background
Advent observance in Sweden, as in much of Western Christianity, derives from the church calendar's season of preparation before Christmas. The four-Sunday structure of Advent is a long-established Christian tradition, and in Sweden it became intertwined over time with distinctly Nordic customs such as candle-lighting, seasonal baking, and the decoration of the home.
The modern Swedish Advent tradition is closely associated with the lighting of candles, a practice that became widespread during the twentieth century. Because the sources for this subject are limited, the precise historical development of Third Advent as a distinct observance in Sweden should be treated as part of the broader Advent tradition rather than as a separate, independently documented holiday.
Customs and Traditions
The most recognizable Swedish Advent custom is the lighting of candles, and the third Sunday is defined by the third candle in that sequence.
- The Advent candelabra (adventsljusstake): Many Swedish households use a candelabra or candle holder with four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. On the First Advent Sunday the first candle is lit, on the Second the second, and on the Third Advent Sunday the third candle is lit, so that by this day three candles are burning.
- Advent stars and window lights: During Advent, Swedish windows are commonly decorated with star-shaped hanging lamps (adventsstjärna) and electric candle arches (adventsljusstake in electric form). These decorations are typically up throughout Advent, including the Third Advent Sunday.
- Christmas preparations: By the third Sunday, many Swedes are engaged in decorating the home, buying and wrapping gifts, and preparing seasonal food, as the holiday approaches.
- Advent calendars: Advent calendars, both paper and digital, are widely used in Sweden and count down the days of December, running through the Third Advent Sunday.
Food and Drink
Swedish Advent and Christmas food culture is strongly seasonal, and the Third Advent Sunday falls squarely within the period when these foods are eaten.
- Lussekatter: Saffron buns, known as lussekatter, are a signature Advent and Lucia-season baked good in Sweden. They are traditionally associated with Lucia Day on 13 December, but they are eaten throughout Advent, including around the Third Advent Sunday.
- Glögg: Mulled wine, called glögg, is a traditional warm drink served during Advent and Christmas in Sweden, often with raisins and almonds.
- Pepparkakor: Gingerbread biscuits, or pepparkakor, are a staple of the Swedish Advent and Christmas season.
- Christmas smorgasbord: The julbord, a Christmas buffet with dishes such as herring, ham, and other seasonal items, is associated with the Christmas season and is often enjoyed at gatherings during Advent.
These foods and drinks are general features of the Swedish Advent and Christmas season rather than being exclusive to the Third Advent Sunday itself.
Religious and Civic Observances
In the Church of Sweden and other Christian congregations, the Third Advent Sunday is observed as a regular Sunday of Advent worship. Services during Advent typically include Advent hymns, candle-lighting, and readings preparing for Christmas. Because Advent Sundays are part of the church year, the Third Advent Sunday would be marked in parishes with a normal Sunday service rather than a special national event.
There is no national civic holiday or official state observance attached specifically to the Third Advent Sunday in Sweden. It is not one of Sweden's official flag days, and public institutions and businesses do not generally close for it. Its civic presence is mainly commercial and cultural, visible in shops, advertising, and public decorations that are already in place throughout December.
Public Festivities and Regional Variations
Public Christmas activities in Sweden—such as Christmas markets, decorated town squares, and seasonal concerts—generally run throughout Advent rather than being tied to a single Sunday. The Third Advent Sunday may coincide with such events, but it is not itself a distinct public festival with nationwide programming.
Regional variation in Swedish Advent and Christmas customs exists, but the sources available do not document specific Third Advent Sunday traditions unique to particular regions. Customs such as candle-lighting, Advent stars, lussekatter, glögg, and pepparkakor are broadly shared across Sweden, with local differences more likely to appear in food specialties and local market traditions than in the structure of the Advent Sundays themselves. Any claim of a distinct regional Third Advent custom should therefore be treated with caution.
Summary
The Third Advent Sunday in Sweden is the third of the four Advent Sundays before Christmas. It is marked chiefly by the lighting of the third candle in the Advent candelabra, alongside the broader Swedish Advent customs of window stars, seasonal baking and drinks, and Christmas preparation. It is a religious and domestic observance rather than a public holiday, and while it falls within a season rich in shared Swedish traditions, it does not have widely documented customs unique to the day or to specific regions.