On the night of December 24-25, Western Christians (Catholics), who live in Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia, celebrate Christmas. This holiday is celebrated not only by the Catholic and Protestant churches, but also by related religious movements that use the Gregorian calendar in the church chronology.
Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays and a public holiday in 145 countries of the world.
How is this holiday celebrated in Sweden, Timberk's homeland? Christmas in Sweden is a public holiday, which is celebrated on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. But before this day there is a tradition to burn the first candle on a special Christmas wreath with four interwoven candles four Sundays before Christmas. The first candle should burn down only by one fourth. This day next week two candles are lit, the one burnt one fourth and a new one. The same continues to Christmas when the last candle is lit on the festive table.
The main symbol of the Swedish Christmas (after the Christmas tree of course) is the Gävle Goat (Julbocken i Gävle or Gävlebocken in Swedish), a huge straw figure of a fairy-tale goat that accompanies the Swedish Christmas character Julbock. The goat is erected every year during two days in early December in the castle square (Slottstorget) in the center of Gävle town.
In Sweden people like to decorate their homes with antique embroidery and toys: they put antique dolls on windowsills and decorate tables with antique tablecloths. Traditionally, this is a family holiday that gathers family members and friends who sing songs, recite poems, send greetings to each other and exchange presents. Very often one of family members dresses himself as Jultomten (Santa Claus) or a Christmas dwarf and wishes Merry Christmas to the whole family. The Swedish festive table on Christmas Day is roast sausages and mashed potatoes, liver pate, a gammon of bacon, dried cod, oat cakes and of course a gingerbread house. They cannot do without the so called Glögg, a hot drink with spices and almond nuts. Another popular Christmas tradition in Sweden is to cook Risgryngrot, a special rice cereal in which an almond nut is put. The person who finds it will carry out his/her wish or will probably marry in the coming year. Another nice tradition or popular belief is to give bread and crumbs from the Christmas table to birds: the Swedes belief that the coming year will certainly be happy.
We congratulate all our colleagues, partners and friends and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
