Playing April Fool’s jokes on each other on the first of April is a tradition in many countries – Sweden included. In fact it is an old tradition – the oldest written reference being in 1392 in Chaucer’s ‘The Cantebury Tales’.
In Sweden, when someone is tricked, the tradition is to say ‘April, April din dumma sill!‘. This translates as ‘April, April you stupid herring!’. This is however not as weird as it might sound. In many countries, such as Italy, France and Holland, April 1st is known as “April fish”. On this day, people try to attach paper fish onto the backs of their victims.
April Fool’s pranks are common in newspapers, with classics such as:
IKEA is getting into the airline business. Furnishing all the flights with Ikea furniture, the name of the airline is FLYKEA.
Swedish supermarket chain ICA introduced toothpaste with the taste of chocolate. It might be brown, but it makes your teeth white.
Burger King introduced a new burger for left-handed people where ingredients were rotated 180 degrees.
I had a look this morning at the media to see if I could identify any April Fools tricks and I found one! A paper in northern Sweden reported that it had found a leaked document from the Swedish Armed Forces, revealing that Sweden is to receive its first moose cavalry. No animal is better suited for battle than the king of the forest, the newspaper claims. An AI image also shows armed soldiers riding moose!
Sweden’s Prime Minister today resigned after losing a vote of no confidence last week. This vote, and his subsequent resignation, throws the country into political chaos in the middle of a pandemic and just one year before a scheduled general election.
The sad thing is that this could have been avoided if it wasn’t for political positioning. This chaos is the main responsibility of three small parties who hold the balance of power and who cannot drop their prestige. They all say they do not want an new election, but have acted in such a way that a new election is now inevitable. And the worse thing is that they all use the same argument that they are ‘taking responsibility for Sweden’. BULLSHIT. Responsibility would be to resolve this issue and keep us on a stable path for one more year.
After a Prime Minister resigns in Sweden, the speaker of the House has an opportunity to find a new constellation of government. If that doesn’t succeed, then it is a new election. This is the most likely to happen given the make up of the parliament at the moment. Whatever government comes out of this new election will rule for less than a year. It is very unlikely they can achieve anything in this period of time so it is essentially toothless. And pointless. And expensive.
So another period of unrest lies ahead. And a costly one. The 400,000,000 Swedish crowns that an election costs could better be spent elsewhere.
But hey, if we elect politicians that decline to cooperate with each other and they refuse to drop their prestige for the stability of the country – this is the shit show we end up with.
With Midsummer arriving on Friday, it is time to start planning for your survival. Midsummer’s Eve is the craziest custom in the Swedish calender and the time of the year when Swedes go a little bonkers. As a non-Swede, get ready to brace yourself. Here are a few hacks to make sure you make it to Midsummer’s Day in one piece.
Greet like a Swede. In Sweden it is considered polite to greet everybody individually, even if you plan to never speak to them again or remember their name. The appropriate way is to stand 1-2 meters away, look directly in their eyes, say ‘hej’ followed by your name. They will do the same. You might even give a small wave or shake hands if you are comfortable doing so. If you are feeling adventurous, follow up your ‘Hej’ with a ‘trevligt’ or even a ‘Glad Midsommar’. Job done. Now you can hit the booze.
Snaps is not the same as a shot. A lot of alcohol gets drunk on Midsummer’s Eve, especially beer and snaps With the popularity of shots in recent years, it’s easy to make the mistake that Swedish snaps is the same thing. Believe me, it is not. Snaps can be up to 40% proof, considerably more than your normal shot. So, go easy and sip the snaps or see yourself slipping sideways off your chair before the strawberry dessert has even been put on the table.
Take tissue. Midsummer’s Eve is a looong day and you probably will need the loo at some point. The trouble is, so will everybody else – to the detriment of the supply of toilet paper. There’s a big chance you will be seeking relief in the woods so come equipped with the appropriate amounts of paper for your needs.
If shy, bring swimwear. Bathing in the icy June waters is a common activity at Midsummer. Swedes generally are not afraid of skinny dipping when they do this. If you are, then come prepared with swimwear and a towel.
Shelve your maturity. Part of Midsummer is dancing around the maypole, playing silly games, pretending to be a frog, participating in competitions. To survive these activities, it helps to conjour up your inner child and forget you are an adult for a while.
Protect yourself. Given the amount of alcohol consumed at Midsummer, it is no surprise that the many babies in Sweden are made on this day. It you don’t want to join the ranks of parents, remember to put it on before you put it in.
Throw in the thermals. It looks like it might be super sunny and warm this Midsummer’s Eve. One of the warmest ever! But it is good to be prepared. It is not unusual that temperatures fall into single figures and that pesky rain pours down onto the smorgasbord. So bring a jumper, a rain jacket and even thermals to enhance your experience.
Don’t expect culinary miracles on Midsummer’s Eve. The food is exactly the same as is eaten at Christmas and Easter, with a few small summery exceptions – strawberries, cream, dill and new potatoes. Remember to use hand disinfectant before you attack the buffet.
Learn a drinking song. On Midsummer’s Eve, food and alcohol is accompanied by Swedish drinking songs. Learn one in advance and shine at the table. Even better sing one in your own language and you are guaranteed to use those rubbers you packed just for the occasion. For me, ‘what shall we do with the drunken sailor’ works every time.
Argue over the rules. At Midsummer a popular Swedish garden game is called kubb. Involving the throwing of sticks, everybody seems to have their own understanding of the way to play. If you want to feel really Swedish, make sure you start an argument about the rules.
Take pills. Of varying types. Allergy pills are good because there are flowers everywhere: on the table, in the maypole, on peoples’ heads. Pain killers are good as a lot of snaps is consumed. Indigestion pills are good as the food is oily, fatty, acidic, smoky and rich. The after day pill is good, well… because…
That’s it! Follow this guide and you are sure to have a wonderous Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden.
Glad Midsommar!
Please share this post to help others get ready for the big day!
On 6 June 1523, Gustav Vasa was crowned King of Sweden. He was one of the few survivors of the Stockholm Bloodbath, in which his father and 80 other nobles were murdered, Game of Thrones style.
He ruled the country until 1560. During his reign, he released Sweden from the Kalmar Union consisting of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. He also turned Sweden from a catholic country into a Protestant one, with the monarch and not the pope as head of the church.
6 June is another significant day in Swedish history – on 6 June 1809 the country signed a new constitution. This lay the foundation for Sweden’s current status as an independent democracy and was in place until 1974.
The constitution returned political power to the parliament after King Gustav IV Adolph was deposed in a military coup in 1809. He was the last Swedish monarch to rule over Finland. After him, the crown passed not to his children but to his uncle, Charles XIII. Charles had no legitimate heir, which set into motion the quest for a successor. This was found the following year in the person of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, the first monarch of the present royal family.
For these two reasons, Sweden celebrates its National Day today – June 6th. It was declared in 1983, and was first celebrated as a public holiday in 2005.
The day is celebrated with various events up and down the country.
I’ve decided to challenge myself with something different. That means I am focusing most of my efforts on creating video reels and short clips on Instagram. I will write here, but it will be less frequent. If you’d like to still follow me, please check me out on Instagram.
Musical cabaret legend and cruising enthusiast, Jane McDonald, is having somewhat of a revival in the UK, with her new album rocketing up the charts.
One song she covers in her repertoire is DNCE’s ‘Cake by the Ocean’. In her naivety, she thought it meant ‘having a cup of tea and a slice of Victoria sponge while looking out over the sea’, when in fact its meaning is something much more salacious.
That ‘cake by the ocean’ has become a euphemism for having sex on the beach is the fault of a couple of Swedes. According to singer Joe Jonas, the phrase originated from Swedish producers Mattman and Robin mistaking the cocktail name “sex on the beach” for “cake by the ocean”. And the name stuck enough to have a song written about it! It was intended to be a fun, funky, and sexually charged party anthem.
Upon its release in 2015, the song became a top-ten hit in multiple countries, including the US, the UK, Sweden and Japan.
According to Jane McDonald, it is her most requested number when she performs live.
Today is ‘Long Friday’ in Sweden, ‘Good Friday’ in English-speaking countries. If you hold to the Christian belief, it’s the day Jesus was crucified on Golgata, outside of Jerusalem.
Why the differences in names for this day? In English-speaking countries, there are differences of opinions as to why it’s called Good Friday. Some people claim Good is an old English word meaning Holy – so Holy Friday. Others say it’s a development of the word God. And other theories say it is good because it is the day Jesus, dying on his cross, was victorious over sin, death and the devil and took upon him all the sins of Mankind. Heavy stuff.
In Sweden, it is called Long Friday as it was said to be a day of mourning for the long day of suffering that Jesus endured will being crucified.
In Sweden, today is a public holiday, though all the shops and places of entertainment are open. Some people go to church to pay their respects, some paint boiled eggs and decorate Easter trees with colourful feathers, some prepare food for Easter Saturday. For many, it is a day of travelling the sometimes-long distances to visit relatives.
This is an election year in Sweden and already the parties are manoeuvring. The most recent change came from the Liberal Party yesterday.
The Liberals are a very small party, but in Sweden’s system of proportional representation, they sit in the center-right government. Historically, the Liberals have vehemently said that they will never allow the Swedish Democrats (SD) into government because SD is a right-wing, populistic party. The Liberals have repeatedly attacked SD for its racism, unpredictability and lack of empathy. As recently as 4 months ago, the leader of Liberals, Simona Mohamsson, said a determined ‘NO!’ to the question of allowing SD a minister position.
Yesterday, she turned coat. She announced that they have changed their mind. They have switched loyalties and now do support SD in a governmental position.
The interesting thing here is that how quickly a longly-defended, deeply-felt principle can be abandoned at the drop of a hat. In all the recent election predictions, the Liberals are below the parliamentary threshold of 4%. This means, in all likelihood, they will fall out of the parliament at the next election.
Turning coat is a desperate attempt to save their skin. If it works remains to be seen – it could also be the death of their party if voters abandon them.
Once again, this just shows the degraded state of politics. We see it playing out on an international stage, but Sweden is no exception. When politicians promise one thing and then radically change their minds 4 months later, how can we voters trust anything they say? When fundamental principles are so easily discarded, how can we voters believe that politicians will work for our interests?
And this poses a larger democratic question – When politicians are willing to so easily betray their voters, how can any of us know who to elect?
Today, the world’s longest cross country ski race takes place in Sweden. Called Vasaloppet, it entails participants skiing 90 kilometers from start to finish. It’s an extremely popular international race, which can take up to 12 hours to complete, and which is broadcast live on tv. When tickets to participate are released, they sell out in 15 minutes – it’s that popular.
The first Vasalopp was in 1922 and it takes place annually, the first Sunday in March and it is a first sign of spring. It’s an amazing sight to watch, as more than 15000 mad, happy skiers glide along, the swishing sound of ski on snow filling the air.
For the elite athletes, 12 hours to complete the race is of course unthinkable. They go considerably faster. The person who has completed the race fastest is Norwegian Tord Asle Gjerdalen, who in 2022 won the race in just over 3 hours 28 minutes. Norwegian Astrid Öyre Slind holds the record for women’s race at 3 hours 50 minutes, also set in 2022. The fastest Swedes, only seconds slower, are Alvar Myhlback (2025) and Lina Korsgren (2021).
So why is this race called the Vasalopp? Well, it takes its name from a Swedish king. The race commemorates the escape to Norway, through the forest, of King Gustav Vasa in 1521. Legend has it that he carried out the gruelling journey on skis, but experts believe he more likely completed this escape on snow shoes.
Nevertheless, out of this legend sprung the race which is so popular today.
Modern day skiers don’t see the experience as an escape, they see it as a challenge and for many of them it’s a rite of passage.
And as you sit watching the TV comfortably from the sofa, with tea and toast, you take vicarious pleasure in this long, amazing Swedish race.
2026 in Sweden it is a general election year. The current conservative government hope for another 4 years, and of course the left-oriented parties hope to replace them.
I have one simple hope for this election year and the political campaigning that it involves. This is my request to the politicians of all colours.
I am deeply and genuinely tired of politicians who do nothing but talk about how bad the other side is. It is an empty and cowardly way to do politics. Stop pointing fingers. Stop throwing mud. Start telling us what you actually intend to do.
We voters are not easily manipulated idiots who get excited by petty attacks. We want to know what you stand for, what kind of future you want to build, and how you plan to take us there. A campaign should be about ideas, responsibility, and vision, not about who you think is the worst.
I am calling for politicians who have the courage to speak plainly about their own proposals, instead of hiding behind attacks on others. Give us something to believe in, not just someone to be angry at.
At the darkest time of the year, Santa Lucia (St Lucy) pays us a visit early in the morning on December 13th. Lucia has candles in her hair and is surrounded by her handmaidens and boys, and shines light into the dark depths of our spirits. And slowly, slowly, the day awakens.
Santa Lucia is believed to have been a Sicilian saint who suffered a martyr’s death in Syracuse, Sicily around AD 310. She was seeking help for her mother’s long-term illness at the shrine of Saint Agnes, in her native Sicily, when an angel appeared to her in a dream beside the shrine. As a result of this, Lucia became a devout Christian and refused to compromise her virginity in marriage.
Officials threatened to drag her off to a brothel if she did not renounce her Christian beliefs, but were unable to move her, even with a thousand men and fifty oxen pulling. So they stacked materials for a fire around her instead and set light to it, but she would not stop speaking.
One of the soldiers stuck a spear through her throat to stop her, but to no effect. Soon afterwards, the Roman consulate in charge was hauled off to Rome on charges of theft from the state and beheaded. Lucia was able to die only when she was given the Christian sacrement.
The tradition of Santa Lucia is said to have been brought to Sweden via Italian merchants and the idea of lighting up the dark appealed so much that the tradition remained. The current tradition of having a white-dressed woman with candles in her hair appearing on the morning of the Lucia day started in the area around Lake Vänern in the late 18th century and spread slowly to other parts of the country during the 19th century.
The modern tradition of having public processions in the Swedish cities started in 1927 when a newspaper in Stockholm elected an official Lucia for Stockholm that year. The initiative was then followed around the country through the local press. Today most cities in Sweden appoint a Lucia every year. Schools elect a Lucia and her maids among the students. The regional Lucias will visit shopping malls, old people’s homes and churches, singing and handing out gingerbread.
Not only does Lucia represent tradition, but there is also a symbolic meaning. Never more important than this year when the world is in turmoil. So remember, it might be cold and dark right now, but after the darkness comes the light.
It’s the first of Advent today, which is an atmospheric and almost romantic time in Sweden.
Swedes decorate their houses, apartments and windows with lights. From ceilings, illuminated stars are hung. On window ledges, electric advent candles are placed. On tables, four candles are positioned and one is lit every Sunday up until Christmas. Small candles, often red, are dotted about the home. People eat gingerbread and drink mulled wine. Some people go to an advent concert in their local church or concert house. I personally went to a very atmospheric and cosy concert in Stockholm’s City Hall yesterday.
Some years, there is already deepish snow at the first of Advent. But this year in Stockholm, it is warm, so there isn’t any. Instead, it is very dark. The collective advent decoration is a definite reprieve from this darkness as light is spread into these murky places.
The word ‘advent’ comes from the Latin ‘adventus’ which means ‘arrival’ and is traditionally the start of the period where we wait for the arrival of nativity, or Christmas. Some religions also see it as waiting for the second coming of Christ. But in this secular society that is Sweden, the waiting is probably for the snow to come, the cold to hit, the water to freeze to ice and for winter to clasp its fingers firmly around us.
Watching the Swedes 
