When looking for removals to Sweden to take up a new job, it’s good to know about the Swedish national holidays so that you know when you can take time off work to relax and have fun with the family.
Moving Partnership Ltd have gathered this information together for you so that you can prepare for your holidays in advance of your family's removals to Sweden. After all, it's always good to know ahead of time what you are letting yourself and your family in for.
When you have completed your removals to Sweden and are comfortably installed in your new Swedish home, you will find that the Swede's value their holidays. They value family life and see bank holidays as much as a time to be spent with the family as a time for celebration.
At Moving Partnership Ltd, we specialise in low cost, high quality removals. We compare hundreds of removals quotes so you don’t have to and we assist in every aspect of your move, even down to helping you with the paperwork.
Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.
National Holidays in Sweden
The 5 day week is commonplace in Sweden and hours worked are roughly 38 for men and 32 for women. This has remained largely unchanged since a survey that was carried out in 2006 though there is evidence to suggest that this has risen slightly in recent times.
There are no less than 17 recognised public holidays in Sweden which are actually set out in law and these are taken in addition to the Swedish annual holiday. Most people take three or four weeks off, normally in the summer months of July and August.
The majority of shops and offices in Sweden are closed on Midsummer’s Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This also applies to banks, museums and some restaurants. The decision as to whether to open on these particular days is left entirely at the owners discretion. For the rest of the year though, Sunday hours apply to the public holidays. A few restaurants will choose to close on Sundays and public holidays which tend to be the busiest days for museums and galleries.
New Year´s Day, Jan 1
New Year’s Day is a public holiday in many places around the world and Sweden is no exception. Schools, post offices and government offices are closed, as are most businesses.
Epiphany Eve, Jan 5 and Epiphany Day, Jan 6
Epiphany is a traditional annual holiday celebrated widely in churches in Scandinavia. You should not be surprised to find most businesses closed.
Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
Again, as it is in most Christian countries of the world, the Easter break is celebrated with time off from work.
May Day, May 1
May Day has been a public holiday in Sweden since 1939.
Ascension Day, May 9
Government offices, schools, banks and many businesses are usually closed in countries where Ascension Day is a public holiday.
Whit Sunday, May 19
Whit Sunday is traditionally a day for picnicking in Sweden. Swedes also decorate their homes with flowers and leafy branches to mark the occasion.
Sweden's National Day, June 6
Sweden has celebrated its National Day on 6 June since 1983. The idea of Sweden having a “National Day” was conceived by Artur Hazelius, founder of the Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm. The day is marked with a lot of pomp and ceremony and flag waving, like our own St Georges Day, only more so.
Midsummer´s Eve, June 20, and Midsummer's Day, June 21
This is not a time to be driving as most everybody will be on the roads on their way out to the countryside. Midsummer is family outing and picnic time. Get on the road early to avoid the queues.
All Saints´ Day, Nov 1
Although All Saints day is officially November 1st, it is celebrated on the Saturday of the closest weekend. The following Sunday marks All Souls Day, a day usually reserved for visiting the graves of lost loved ones. You'll see many candles burning in lanterns at grave sites as people remember those who have passed on and, in the churches, the priest will read out the names of all those who have died the previous year and lead the congregation into prayer as the church warden lights a candle for each of them. Families will gather together for a meal in remembrance of their loved ones and this is usually a quiet, sombre affair.
Christmas Eve, Dec 24, Christmas Day, Dec 25, Boxing Day, Dec 26
In Sweden, Christmas really starts on December 24th but, as in England, most people begin their preparations much earlier. It is a time for family and for feasting, for the giving and receiving of presents and for Christmas decorations.
As well as the obligatory tree, the advent candle stick is a popular Christmas decoration. It marks the countdown to Christmas. Consisting of 4 candles, one for each of the preceding 4 weeks, the first candle is lit on the 4th Sunday before Christmas. On the 3rd Sunday, the first and second candles are lit and so on until, come Christmas Day, the candlestick arrangement resembles a flight of illuminated steps.
New Year´s Eve, Dec 31
In common with countries around the world, New Year’s Eve is marked with huge festivities and big firework displays. The Christmas period was for family, the New Year is for close friends. Dinner parties and drinks parties are lavish affairs and discussions centre around the events of the past year and plans for the next.
New Year’s resolutions are made and then promptly broken and, as the clock strikes midnight, people gather around the TV to watch a huge firework display and a live broadcast from the Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm.
About MPL Removals
When planning your removals to Sweden give MPL a call. We will search for the very best removals quotes and assist you in all aspects of your removal. There is always someone on hand to help with any queries you may have and we will even help you fill out the paperwork. Call us today for your free, no obligation quotation.
Removals to Sweden - click here for full information on our removals to Sweden service or contact us now for a free online moving quote.
