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Traditions, holidays and culture

Swedish customs, food, music and national symbols

Prepare for the Swedish citizenship civic test with practice questions and explanations about Traditions, holidays and culture.

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Practice questions and answers

1. What day is Sweden's national day?

  1. 1 May
  2. June 6
  3. December 24
  4. April 30
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June 6

Sweden's national day is June 6. The date has double historical significance: Gustav Vasa was elected king on June 6, 1523, and a new constitution was adopted on June 6, 1809.

2. In what year did June 6 become an official red day (holiday) in Sweden?

  1. 1983
  2. 1996
  3. 2005
  4. 2010
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2005

June 6 became an official red day in 2005. Before that, it was called "Swedish flag day" and was a regular working day.

3. What historical event June 6, 1523 justifies the national day date?

  1. Sweden was freed from Russian occupation
  2. Gustav Vasa was elected king and Sweden was freed from the Kalmar Union
  3. Sweden joined the EU
  4. Sweden got its first constitution
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Gustav Vasa was elected king and Sweden was freed from the Kalmar Union

On June 6, 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected king, which marked the end of the Kalmar Union and the beginning of Sweden as an independent state.

4. When is Midsummer Eve celebrated in Sweden?

  1. Always June 21
  2. A Friday between 19 and 25 June
  3. Always June 24
  4. First Friday in July
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A Friday between 19 and 25 June

Midsummer Eve is celebrated on a Friday between 19 and 25 June. Midsummer Day, the following Saturday, is a public holiday, and the celebration is one of Sweden's most popular traditions.

5. What date is Lucia celebrated in Sweden?

  1. December 1
  2. December 13
  3. December 24
  4. January 6
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December 13

Lucia is celebrated on December 13. It is a light festival with Lucia singing, lussebullar (saffron buns) and bridesmaids and star boys with candles.

6. What date is Christmas Eve celebrated in Sweden?

  1. December 22
  2. December 23
  3. December 24
  4. December 25
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December 24

In Sweden, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24 - not on Christmas Day, the 25th, as in many other countries. It is the most important family day during Christmas.

7. Which program is traditionally broadcast on SVT at 15:00 on Christmas Eve since 1960?

  1. The Christmas calendar
  2. Donald Duck's Christmas Eve (Disney)
  3. Melodifestivalen
  4. Report
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Donald Duck's Christmas Eve (Disney)

Donald Duck's Christmas Eve - a Disney program - is broadcast on SVT at 15:00 every Christmas Eve since 1960. It is one of Sweden's most watched television programs with millions of viewers.

8. What is the traditional Swedish coffee break with bread called?

  1. Just right
  2. Coffee
  3. Friday cozy
  4. The snack
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Coffee

Fika is a deep-rooted Swedish social institution – a break with coffee or tea and something sweet (e.g. cinnamon roll). It can happen alone but is often social and occurs in working life and social contexts.

9. When does the surströmming season traditionally open?

  1. First Thursday in June
  2. Third Thursday in August
  3. Last Friday in September
  4. First Wednesday in October
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Third Thursday in August

The surströmming season traditionally opens on the third Thursday in August. Surströmming (fermented strömming) has an extremely strong smell and is a cultural tradition in northern Sweden.

10. Which of these is an example of typical Christmas food in Sweden?

  1. Pizza and hamburgers
  2. Christmas ham, meatballs and Jansson's temptation
  3. Sushi and noodles
  4. Pasta and salad
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Christmas ham, meatballs and Jansson's temptation

Traditional Swedish Christmas food includes Christmas ham, meatballs, ribs, Jansson's frestelse (gratin with anchovies and potatoes), beetroot salad, salmon and rice porridge.

11. What do you celebrate on Valborg Fair Eve (April 30)?

  1. The memory of Gustav Vasa's election as king
  2. Welcoming spring with big fires and singing
  3. International Workers' Day
  4. New Year's Day in another calendar
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Welcoming spring with big fires and singing

Walpurgis fair evening on April 30 is a tradition to welcome spring. Great fires are lit and choirs sing. The celebration is especially big in student cities such as Uppsala and Lund.

12. Which country counts Sweden among the top three music exporters in the world?

  1. Among the top 20
  2. Among the top 10
  3. Among the top 5
  4. Third largest
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Third largest

Sweden is the third largest music exporting country in the world after the USA and Great Britain. ABBA, Avicii, Swedish House Mafia and Robyn are among the most famous.

13. Which band won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and laid the foundation for Sweden's success in international music?

  1. Roxette
  2. Ace of Base
  3. ABBA
  4. Swedish House Mafia
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ABBA

ABBA won Eurovision in 1974 with "Waterloo". It was the start of an outstanding career and ABBA is still one of the world's most famous music groups.

14. On what date is the Nobel Prize awarded each year?

  1. January 1
  2. December 10
  3. June 6
  4. November 14
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December 10

The Nobel Prize is awarded on December 10 each year - Alfred Nobel's death anniversary. The ceremonies are held in Stockholm (five prizes) and in Oslo (the peace prize).

15. Which children's book author created Pippi Longstocking and Emil in Lönneberga?

  1. Selma Lagerlöf
  2. August Strindberg
  3. Astrid Lindgren
  4. Stieg Larsson
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Astrid Lindgren

Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002) created Pippi Longstocking, Emil in Lönneberga, Ronja Rövardotter and many other beloved characters. She is one of the world's most read children's book authors.

16. What is the typical Swedish children's tradition called during Easter when children dress up as witches?

  1. The Easter dance
  2. Easter bunny
  3. The Easter Devil
  4. Easter Santa
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Easter bunny

Paskkerring is a tradition where children dress up as Easter witches with a skirt, apron and basket. They knock on doors and give letters in exchange for candy, similar to Halloween.

17. Which global Swedish brands are included in these options?

  1. LEGO, Nokia and Volvo
  2. IKEA, Volvo and Spotify
  3. Samsung, H&M and Ericsson
  4. Apple, Spotify and IKEA
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IKEA, Volvo and Spotify

IKEA (furniture), Volvo (cars and trucks) and Spotify (music streaming) are three of the best-known Swedish brands globally. LEGO is Danish and Nokia is Finnish.