Swedish traditions and holidays on the citizenship test: the year in celebrations

The last chapter of Sverige i fokus, pages 45 to 47, walks through the Swedish year of traditions and holidays. It is the friendliest chapter in the material, but do not let that fool you: dates, foods and reasons behind holidays are perfect multiple-choice material for the medborgarskapsprov.

The year, holiday by holiday

• Nyår: New Year's Eve on December 31, fireworks at midnight.
• Påsk: a Christian holiday in March or April remembering Jesus death and resurrection, with eggs, lamb, salmon and herring on the table and sweets for children.
• Valborgsmässoafton: April 30, bonfires and spring songs to welcome spring.
• Första maj: international workers' day, a public holiday with demonstrations and speeches.
• Nationaldagen: June 6, a public holiday since a 2005 Riksdag decision. The date marks Gustav Vasa's election as king on June 6, 1523, and the new constitution of June 6, 1809. Municipalities welcome new citizens with ceremonies on this day, which gives the date a special meaning for anyone reading this.
• Midsommar: always a Friday between June 19 and 25, older than Christianity, with flower wreaths, dancing around the midsommarstång, and herring, new potatoes and strawberries.
• Alla helgons dag: a Saturday in late October or early November, candles on graves.
• Advent: the four Sundays before Christmas Day, with calendars, the window star and four candles.
• Lucia: December 13, processions, light in the darkest season, and lussebullar with saffron.
• Jul: Christmas Eve on December 24 as the family day with julmat and julklappar, the tree, and the early service julotta on December 25.

The chapter ends with the newer traditions that immigration brought, and the test can ask about them too: Eid al-Fitr ending Ramadan, and the Persian and Kurdish new years Nouruz and Newroz around the spring equinox on March 21.

How to study it

The module Traditioner och högtider covers every holiday in simple Swedish with cited practice questions. Then finish your preparation with the free mini mock.

Source: Sverige i fokus (UHR, 2026), pp. 45-47.

Independent study material. Not affiliated with UHR or Migrationsverket. Not legal advice.