Inside: Learn about Christmas in Sweden with a printable Christmas in Sweden cut-and-paste worksheet and activity ideas.
We have had so much fun learning about Christmas celebrations in different parts of the world during the holiday season. It’s always exciting to see which traditions are similar to ours and which ones are completely unique.
I’ve always loved Scandinavian culture, especially the cozy lights, winter foods, and beautiful traditions.
As an adult, I’ve enjoyed sharing these traditions with my kids as part of our Christmas Around the World studies.
Learning About Christmas in Sweden
There are so many different ways you can learn about celebrating Christmas in Sweden. You can use books, videos, printables, activities, and hands-on recipes.
Personally, I decided to use a mix of all of the above, and I created a fun printable to use as we learn about Swedish Christmas traditions.
Christmas in Sweden Videos
There are lots of kid-friendly videos that explain the traditions of Christmas in Sweden. Depending on the age of your kids, different videos may be the best fit.
Here are a few great options to watch:
- St. Lucia Day Explained
- Swedish Christmas (done by Visit Sweden and so fun to hear Swedish!)
- What Christmas Is Like in Sweden – YouTube video
These are a great way to give kids an overview before diving into the printable or your activities.
Books
There are several wonderful books that share information about Christmas in Sweden or feature Swedish traditions and holiday symbols.
Here are some of the books we chose to read:
- Lucia Morning in Sweden – A detailed look at St. Lucia Day, perfect for introducing one of Sweden’s most beloved Christmas traditions.
- A World of Cookies for Santa – This book includes the cookies children leave out in Sweden, making it a delicious addition to your study.
- Christmas Around the World by Mary D. Lankford – We read the Sweden section to learn more about Swedish Christmas customs.
Activities and Recipes for Christmas in Sweden
Along with watching videos, reading books, and doing our Christmas in Sweden worksheet, we also added some hands-on activities (our favorite part)!
Here are a few fun activities you could include in your unit study:
Make St. Lucia Crowns
Craft simple St. Lucia crowns using paper, glue, and battery-operated candles. This tradition symbolizes bringing light into the dark winter.
Bake Lussekatter (St. Lucia Saffron Buns)
These soft saffron rolls are a classic part of Saint Lucia Day on December 13. Kids love shaping them into S-curves.
Bake Pepparkakor (Swedish Ginger Cookies)
Thin, crispy ginger cookies are a popular Christmas treat in Sweden and fun to cut into different shapes.
Make Straw Ornaments
Straw ornaments are traditional Swedish tree decorations and so simple for kids to make with craft straw or paper.
Try Swedish Christmas Foods
If you want a simple recipe to try, Swedish meatballs or warm spiced punch (non-alcoholic glögg) are always fun.
Christmas in Sweden Printable Worksheet
We have loved using cut-and-paste worksheets for our state studies and other Christmas Around the World units, so I made one for Sweden.
The printable is a 3-page document with two pages of objects to color, cut out, and glue to the main page.
After completing this unit, the kids will have one page filled with information about Christmas in Sweden perfect for a journal or Christmas Around the World notebook.
The printable includes a variety of fun facts and images for kids to color. You can download the free PDF at the bottom of this page.
Christmas in Sweden Worksheet
I packed the worksheet with information kids (and adults!) would enjoy, giving a solid overview of Swedish Christmas traditions. Here’s what’s included:
Country and Flag
At the top of the worksheet is the outline of Sweden and the Swedish flag for kids to color, along with simple information about the country.
Sweden is part of northern Europe and experiences a very dark, cold winter; one of the reasons light is such an important symbol in Swedish Christmas celebrations.
How to Say Merry Christmas in Sweden
Below the flag area is a spot to glue the phrase “God Jul” how you say Merry Christmas in Swedish.
My kids always love learning phrases in other languages, so this vocabulary was a must-have.
Fun Facts About Christmas in Sweden
The next section has six boxes for the “mini-books” from pages 2 and 3 of the printable. These share simple and fun facts about Christmas symbols and traditions in Sweden.
Here are the topics included:
Weather
In December Sweden is cold and snowy. The average temperature is between -14 and +4 C. (6.8-39 F).
Depending on the area of Sweden you can have ‘polarnatt’ continuous darkness or about 7 hours of daylight this time of year.
Santa (Jultomten)
In Sweden, Santa is called ‘Jultomten’ joins the party on Christmas eve and generously hands out presents in person.
Watching Donald Duck
At 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve families gather around the tv to watch the annual ‘Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas’ show (called ‘Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul’ in Swedish)
Christmas Eve
Christmas eve is the day when Santa visits, everyone opens presents, and the julbord (Christmas dinner) is served.
Christmas Decorations
Baubles, candles, apples, Swedish flags, small gnomes, tasseled caps, and straw ornaments are all popular decorations.
Christmas Food
Christmas foods in Sweden include Christmas gingerbread and ‘lussekatter’ (saffron buns), Christmas ham, Swedish meatballs and pickled herring. Swedish ‘glögg’ is a popular drink.
More Interesting Facts About Christmas in Sweden
Here are more details you can discuss as you learn about Swedish Christmas traditions:
- Swedish celebrations often begin on the first Sunday of Advent.
- The Julbock (Yule Goat) is one of Sweden’s oldest Christmas symbols.
- The giant Gävle Goat is built each yearand sometimes mysteriously burned down.
- Some children open presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day.
Using the Printable Christmas in Sweden Worksheet
There’s no wrong way to use this printable. I let my kids choose the order of their six mini-topics. Have them:
- Color each picture
- Fold the rectangle to form a mini-book
- Write information inside (or glue in the included text)
- Glue each mini-book onto the main page
Once finished, they’ll have a beautiful summary page of Christmas in Sweden.
Free Printable Christmas in Sweden Worksheet
Please keep this free printable worksheet for personal and classroom use only.