How to Celebrate Easter in Sweden

Easter in Sweden is a multifaceted experience, with a mixture of traditions and cultures. Some are newer and some are older, but it’s fun to see what traditions have stood the test of time to create the Swedish Easter we see today. 

Depending on how one celebrates, Easter can be a more than month-long experience starting with the Shrovetide feast, followed by 40 days of fasting which end with Easter week. For most nowadays however it is mostly about the week of Easter itself.

Påskris, like Christmas trees but for Easter, made of birch branches, are decorated with feathers and eggs and set in the center of the dinner table. This is the centerpiece for the Smörgåsbord feast on Easter Saturday. This meal can include any variety of dishes. Some of the most popular are egg-based dishes, Jansons temptation, herring, salmon, lamb, and sweets.

However one chooses to celebrate, Easter in Sweden is about spending time with family and celebrating springtime with lots of food and colors. Things we can definitely all appreciate!