Julafton in Sweden: dates 2026–2027, traditions and words
| Day | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| JulaftonDay off in practice | Thursday, 24 December 2026 | Friday, 24 December 2027 |
| JuldagenRed day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Saturday, 25 December 2027 |
| Annandag julRed day | Saturday, 26 December 2026 | Sunday, 26 December 2027 |
- The date
- Julafton is always 24 December, juldagen 25 December and annandag jul 26 December.
- Day off?
- Juldagen and annandag jul are public holidays. Julafton is not by law, but it is the main day of Swedish Christmas and almost everyone is off.
In Sweden, Christmas happens on Christmas Eve. Julafton is the day of the family meal, the presents and the visit from tomten, the Swedish Father Christmas. Christmas Day is quiet, with early church services (julotta) for some, and Boxing Day is for visiting family or the first day of the sales.
The day has a fixed rhythm in many homes: a late breakfast, the julbord in the early afternoon or evening, and at 3 pm the whole country watches the same Disney Christmas programme on SVT. It has been shown every Christmas Eve since 1960, and at 3 pm for decades. Then the presents.
What Swedes do
- The julbord: a buffet with ham, meatballs, small sausages, herring, salmon, Janssons frestelse and much more, eaten in several rounds.
- Kalle Anka (Donald Duck and friends) on SVT at 3 pm.
- Tomten knocks on the door, usually a relative in a mask, and asks: Finns det några snälla barn här?
- Presents with rhyming labels (julklappsrim) that hint at what is inside.
- Rice pudding with one hidden almond: whoever finds it, they say, will marry in the coming year.
Food and drink
| Swedish | English | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| julskinka | Christmas ham | Boiled, then glazed with mustard and breadcrumbs. |
| köttbullar | meatballs | Small ones, a julbord must. |
| prinskorv | cocktail sausages | Fried small sausages. |
| Janssons frestelse | Jansson's temptation | Potato and sprat gratin. |
| sill | pickled herring | Several kinds, the first course. |
| lutfisk | lye fish | Dried cod soaked in lye, with white sauce. Loved or avoided. |
| risgrynsgröt | rice pudding | With cinnamon and a hidden almond. The next day it becomes ris à la Malta. |
| julmust | Christmas soft drink | A dark, sweet soft drink that outsells cola in December. |
Words for Julafton
Nouns are given with en or ett where you would use them that way. Words in our dictionary are linked, with their forms and pronunciation.
| Swedish | English |
|---|---|
| julafton | Christmas Eve |
| juldagen | Christmas Day |
| annandag jul | Boxing Day |
| jul | Christmas |
| tomten | Father Christmas |
| en tomte | a Christmas gnome |
| en julklapp | a Christmas present |
| ett julklappsrim | a rhyme on a present |
| ett paket | a parcel, wrapped present |
| slå in | to wrap (a present) |
| en julgran | a Christmas tree |
| ett julbord | a Christmas buffet |
| julskinka | Christmas ham |
| risgrynsgröt | rice pudding |
| en mandel | an almond |
| julmust | Christmas soft drink |
| ett pepparkakshus | a gingerbread house |
| julotta | early Christmas morning service |
| snäll | kind, good (of children) |
| önska sig | to wish for |
| en önskelista | a wish list |
Phrases you will hear
- God jul!Merry Christmas!
- God jul och gott nytt år!Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
- Finns det några snälla barn här?Are there any good children here? (what tomten asks)
- Vad önskar du dig i julklapp?What do you want for Christmas?
- Tack för julklappen!Thanks for the present!
Songs
These are the songs you are likely to hear. We list them by title only; any Swedish songbook (sångbok) has the words.
- Nu är det jul igen: Traditional ring dance around the Christmas tree.
- Nu tändas tusen juleljus: Words and music by Emmy Köhler, 1898.
Learn more Swedish
See every holiday and the full list of red days in the Swedish holiday calendar, and pick up one new word a day with the Swedish word of the day. Dates and weekdays are easier with our guide to days and months in Swedish and the Swedish numbers tool.
Sources
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar, Riksdagen: which days are public holidays.
Dates are calculated from the rules above and were checked against the law and published calendars. Last checked 7 October 2026. Customs vary between regions and families; this page describes the common ones.