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Christmas table and food in Sweden - traditional, new and local

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Christmas tables and Christmas food in Sweden have strong traditions, which also differ slightly around the country. At the same time, we are changing the traditions and introducing new dishes. We have collected a lot of information about Swedish Christmas food, and we would like to hear about your experiences.

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Christmas food in Sweden

When people talk about Christmas food in Sweden, they usually think of the Swedish Christmas table. The tradition of setting out a smorgasbord of many dishes is different from many other countries, perhaps with the exception of Finland with its 'boxes'. Christmas food in many countries is rather served as a classic dinner at a seated table.

Swedish Christmas food - why do we eat Christmas dinner?

A precursor to the Christmas table is the 'brandy table', which was popular among the bourgeoisie in the 18th century. Before fancy dinners, and on holidays such as Christmas, a starter consisting of bread, butter, cheese, herring or salmon and sausage or dried meat, as well as a few types of spiced brandy, was often served.

In the 19th century, the starter evolved into a full-scale smorgasbord. At the beginning of the 20th century, the habit of eating 'Christmas sandwiches' spread, followed by lutefisk as a main course and rice pudding as a dessert.

Sill

Classic dishes on a Swedish Christmas table

Most of the dishes that we now recognise as classic on a Swedish Christmas table only became popular in the 19th or 20th century. Here are some examples of Swedish Christmas food that are more or less classic:

  • Pickled herring
  • Herring salad
  • Herring
  • Grilled, smoked or cured salmon
  • Jansson's temptation
  • Eggs
  • Christmas ham
  • Meatballs
  • Prince's sausage
  • Other sausages
  • Pâté and liver paste
  • Spare ribs
  • Beetroot salad
  • Potatoes
  • Different types of cabbage (red cabbage, Brussels sprouts etc.)
  • Worthy bread
  • East
  • Lutefisk
  • Rice pudding or rice á la Malta
Julbord med svensk julmat

Local specialities on the Swedish Christmas table

We live in an elongated country and Christmas traditions have been different in different parts of the country. Today, it may be becoming more and more standardised, but there are some local traditions that people like to keep. Here are some local dishes on the Christmas table according to Wikipedia. Now we would like to check with you who live in different parts of the country. Do you (still) eat these dishes? Are there more local Swedish Christmas foods that you can tell us about?

  • Northern Sweden - game meat, blana (a mixture of mess butter and cream) and fatost (a northern speciality containing milk, cheese rennet, sugar and eggs).
  • Hälsingland - grynkaka (a pudding made from semolina), rörost (a cheese flavoured with cinnamon, syrup and cardamom) and egg cheese.
  • Gästrikland - semolina cake
  • Värmland - pork sausage and Värmland sausage
  • Uppland - Christmas pike and brown beans
  • Östergötland - brown beans and pork sausage with white sauce
  • Bohuslän - red cabbage, brown cheese (cheesecake) and egg cheese (dish made from milk, eggs, vinegar and film milk or sour cream).
  • Västergötland - semolina sausage (unsmoked sausage made from pork, semolina and spices) and brown beans.
  • Gotland - saffron pancake (dessert made from porridge rice, cream, milk, sugar, eggs, almonds and saffron).
  • Öland - small fried body biscuits
  • Småland - cheesecake, small fried body cakes and eel
  • Halland - kale (long cabbage)
  • Skåne - brown eel and luad eel (salted eel that is grilled and smoked)
Grönkål på julbordet
Kale - classic Halland or modern, photo: Pixabay.

Swedish Christmas food is changing

Christmas food traditions change over time, which is perhaps only natural. Here are some dishes that you might not see as often as you used to:

  • Dip in the pot
  • Pig's feet
  • Christmas sausage
  • Sylta

It's not just that dishes are becoming less popular - new ones are emerging! Here are some examples of dishes that can be seen on modern Christmas tables:

Julbord med modern julmat i Sverige
Modern Christmas table with bacon-wrapped dates and shortbread baked red cabbage

Christmas drinks

People used to drink mead, beer or soft drinks - both at Christmas and at other times of the year. Since the entire Christmas table originates from the "Brännvinsbordet", nubbe is of course part of it, and schnapps is still common. However, the drink 'mumma' (a mixture of porter, port and sugar drink, lager or Christmas must) is not so common anymore. Here are some more classic Christmas drinks:

Glögg
A rising star among Christmas drinks: GLÖET Sparkling Glögg

Christmas desserts

The classic dessert on a Swedish Christmas table is rice pudding or rice á la Malta. Here are some examples of other desserts you can see today:

  • Cheesecake
  • Saffron pancake
  • Saffron cheesecake
  • Saffron pannacotta
  • Gingerbread ice cream
Små och goda efterrätter på julbordet

Christmas cakes and pastries

Eating biscuits at Christmas is a must! Lussebullar (lussekatter) and gingerbread are standard in many homes, and some may even make a gingerbread house. Here are examples of some other cakes that can be served at Christmas:

  • Saffron rolls
  • Soft gingerbread
  • Almond clams
  • clergymen
  • biscuits
  • Chess squares
  • Cola cuts
Julmat och Pepparkakor
Gingerbread with icing, photo: Pixabay

Christmas goths

Treats have long been served at Christmas, and in the 18th and 19th centuries, Swedes in upper-class homes were inspired by foreign traditions and flavours. Exclusive products such as figs, dates, nuts, chocolate and marzipan were imported and served on the Christmas 'gottebord'. Other treats that are common today:

Julmat och julgotter
Lussebullar and chocolate pralines at the 2019 Christmas party

Christmas table in a restaurant

Christmas dining in restaurants became popular after the First World War, and Swedish Christmas food was served for a few Sundays before Christmas. Nowadays, Christmas tables start to be served already in November, and it is very popular among companies to invite their employees to a Christmas table. Here are some Christmas meals that I (Helena) have tried at work in Stockholm:

Mr French julbord
Christmas table at Mr French on Skeppsbrokajen 2018

Christmas food in Sweden - questions for you about your traditions

Please answer the following questions:

  1. Do you remember any Swedish Christmas food from the past - that has become more unusual today?
  2. Have you introduced anything new to your Christmas table?
  3. Do you eat any dish that could be considered a local speciality where you live? What is it?
Svensk julmat på julbord

Many of the photos were taken at a fantastic home cooking Christmas table that Peter's talented niece Dessi invited us to a few years ago.

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