Holidays and Measurements
Public Holidays
Sweden's National Day (Svenska Nationaldagen) is celebrated on the 6 June in memory of King Gustav Vasa's accession to the throne in 1523 and the signing of the Government Act in 1809.
Other public holidays - when stores are usually closed and people off work:
- New Year's Day - Nyårsdagen (Jan. 1st)
- Epiphany - Trettondagen (Jan. 6th)
- Good Friday - Långfredag
- Easter Monday - Annandag Påsk
- May day/May 1st - Första Maj
- Ascension Day - Kristi Himmelsfärdsdag (the 39th day after Easter Sunday)
- Whit Sunday - Pingstdagen
- Sweden’s National Day - Sveriges Nationaldag (June 6th)
- Midsummer's eve - Midsommarafton (celebrated on the Saturday between the dates 20th - 26th June)
- All Saints' Day - Allhelgonadagen (celebrated on the Saturday between Oct. 31st and Nov. 6th)
- Christmas Day - Juldagen (Dec. 25th)
- Boxing Day/St Stephen's Day - Annandag Jul (Dec. 26th)
Most State employees (which includes university staff) are also off from work on weekends; on Midsummer's Eve (Midsommarafton), Christmas Eve (Julafton) and New Year's Eve (Nyårsafton). If you look in a Swedish calendar, you will notice that all Sundays and holidays are written in red, which is why they are sometimes referred to as red days (röda dagar). Check with your department for information concerning the exact vacation days during the semester.
Conversion Tables
