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CHRISTMAS

Swedish word of the day: julgransplundring

The word 'julgransplundring' introduces you to one of Sweden's surprising winter traditions.

Swedish word of the day: julgransplundring
January 13th marks the end of the Swedish Christmas season. Image: nito103/Depositphotos

January 13th is officially the 20th and final day of Swedish Christmas. 

It's traditionally marked with the julgransplundring or 'Christmas Tree plundering', which marks the end of the festive season. Alternative names are julgransskakning (literally 'Christmas tree shaking) or Knutsfest (St Knut's Day). Read more about the history of the date in the article below:

The celebrations, which have remained mostly the same since the late 1800s, typically start with a last dance around the tree, perhaps with a song, before removing the decorations.

That means that if you've had the willpower to make them last this long, it's finally time to eat the chocolate decorations and candy canes from the tree, and to smash and eat any gingerbread houses.

There are usually a few games and songs, especially 1901 favourite Raska fötter springa tripp, tripp, tripp (quick footsteps running, tap tap tap) which is about the end of the holiday season.

Then, the tree is taken away.

In centuries gone by, Swedes would toss them straight out of the window onto the street, but it's important to note that this messy and not so environmentally-friendly technique isn't the done thing any more. Instead, you should take them to the designated area in your local authority. If in doubt, check with your landlord or the head of your tenant-owners association (BRF).

Didn't have your own tree this year, or have a fake one that just needs to be put into storage? There still might be a chance to join in with the song and dance at a public julgransplundring, for example at Stockholm's Nordic Museum which hosts them each year, or at the Christmas trees located in some town squares.

Do you have a favourite Swedish word you would like to nominate for our word of the day series? Get in touch by email or if you are a Member of The Local, log in to comment below.

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SWEDISH WORD OF THE DAY

Swedish word of the day: blåsippa

Today's word of the day is a little blue spring flower with an unexpected political connection.

Swedish word of the day: blåsippa

The blåsippa blooms in Swedish forests between April and May, meaning it is one of the earliest spring flowers to bloom in Sweden, even popping up through the snow in some areas.

The latin name for blåsippor is anemone hepatica, and they also go by the name common hepatica, liverwort or pennywort in English.

It is most common in southern Sweden, although it does grow as far north as southern Norrland.

The blåsippa is a protected flower in all of Sweden, meaning that you can’t dig it up or pick the flowers, so you won’t see the small blue flowers for sale in florists or garden centres.

In some areas, the rules are even stricter. In Halland, Skåne, Stockholm and Västerbotten counties, and parts of Västra Götaland county, you are not allowed to remove or damage the flowers or even collect its seeds.

The name blåsippa is a compound made up of the word for blue, blå, and the word sippa, which is the Swedish name for plants in the Anemone genus, which are related to buttercups and sometimes referred to in English as windflowers.

Other common plants in this genus you may also come across in Sweden are vitsippor (literally: “white sippor“, known in English as wood anemones), and gulsippa (“yellow sippa“, known in English as yellow anemone, yellow wood anemone, or buttercup anemone).

From left: backsippor (pasqueflowers), gulsippor (wood anemones), and blåsippor (anemone hepatica, also known as common hepatica, liverwort or pennywort). Photo: Jurek Holzer/SvD/Scanpix

The word sippa can be traced back to the Finland-Swedish word for vitsippa used in the Nyland or Uusimaa region of Finland: säper. This in turn comes from the French word chapel, borrowed into Swedish from the German schappel or scheppel, which means “crown of flowers”, “diadem”, “royal crown” or “bridal crown”.

In popular culture, blåsippor are perhaps most well-known as the official flower of the nationalist Sweden Democrats political party since 2006. The flowers are also blue and yellow, the same colours as the Swedish flag. 

Almost all of Sweden’s political parties have historically had official flowers, and some still do, such as the Social Democrats’ red rose, the Left Party’s red carnation, the Centre Party’s four-leaf clover and the Green’s dandelion.

The Christian Democrats had a wood anemone or vitsippa prior to 2017 and the Liberals had a cornflower prior to 2016. The Moderates are the only party without an official flower, choosing instead a blue letter M as their party symbol.

There is also a popular Swedish children’s song about blåsippor, Blåsippan ute i backarna står, about children picking blåsippor in the spring and running home to their mother, saying that they no longer have to wear shoes or socks because spring has now arrived.

Blåsippor don’t catch colds,” their mother says, telling them they still have to wear shoes and socks as it’s still winter.

Example sentences:

Får man plocka blåsippor?

Are you allowed to pick blåsippor?

Nej, blåsippor är fridlysta i Sverige.

No, blåsippor are protected in Sweden.

Villa, Volvo, Vovve: The Local’s Word Guide to Swedish Life, written by The Local’s journalists, is available to order. Head to lysforlag.com/vvv to read more about it.

It is also possible to buy your copy from Amazon USAmazon UKBokus or Adlibris.

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