Merry Christmas!!!



While other countries celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, Sweden is celebrating it on the 24th. A bit odd, yes. But why be like everybody else? Why follow the norm?
I heard a comedian describing it as:

-“Since Jesus was actually born on the 25th, everyone else is celebrating then. But we choose to celebrate the journey to the big event. It’s like enjoying the taxi ride to a big party as the main event on New Years Eve!”

Another tradition we choose to rebel against is what food we choose to celebrate with. Most other countries have turkey for dinner, while our main dish is ham. But this is not because we are especially fond of pork in particular, but is a tradition that has remained from our pagan past before we were made Christians.

Basically we eat our pagan Gods’ pet pig Särimner, who used to live (lives) with them in Valhall and get/s eaten every night. It didn’t matter much and rumours say he didn’t mind particularly much either, since he was resurrected from the dead each morning. A pretty handy solution that suited everyone.

To be honest, I’ve always thought it was a bit…well, slightly provocative, to celebrate the main event of your religion by using traditions from the one you’re supposed to have abandoned. And at the same time, maybe just a tiny bit amusing…

Have a fabulous holiday!