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In
most countries, the Twelfth Night marks the absolute end of the Christmas
celebrations. But the Swedes, Finns, and Norwegians stretch Christmas
another week into the New Year. This gives the date of January 13th
as the termination date for Christmas, which in Sweden is the name day
of Knut (Canute). Hence the popular expression tjugondedag Knut ("twentieth
day of Canute").
It
is not exactly clear why the Swedes continue their Christmas celebrations
for an extra week, but there are many who suggest that the notorious "Midwinter
Sacrifice" of the Viking Era, with its human sacrifices and great feasts,
took place on the 13th of January.
However
this came to be, it is on the twentieth day of Canute ( tjugondedag
Knut ) that Swedish families "plunder the Christmas Tree" ( Julgransplundring
). The children, relatives, neighbors and friends gather to strip
the tree, which by now is shedding large quantities of needles. The
Swedes play games, eat cake and drink a fruit drink, then throw out the
Christmas tree and eventually walk home with a bag of sweets.
It has
become popular for Swedish companies to throw a "julgransplundring" party
for their employees and their families. Local folk dance groups are
hired to lead the dance games that are common for dancing around the Christmas
tree. |
