At 3pm on Christmas Eve, Sweden goes quiet. Calls to the emergency services drop. Electricity usage spikes as people turn on their televisions. And everyone sits down to watch Donald Duck.

But what’s behind this tradition, as enduring as it is bizarre?

• Why Swedes watch Donald Duck every Christmas Eve at 3pm

What does a calm and reserved Swede look like when they’re angry? Try eating the meatballs before the pickled herring and you’ll find out. Here’s more on the important julbord etiquette:

• How to survive a Swedish julbord – a beginner’s guide to the Christmas meal

In Sweden, Santa doesn’t slide down the chimney in the quiet of the night. He comes knocking on your door in broad daylight, usually while the father of the house is out buying the newspaper.

• Who is Sweden’s Christmas tomte and what’s he doing on my doorstep?

Sweden’s festive season is a time when even the most well-integrated foreigner can feel like an outsider, miles from home with a set of traditions, recipes, and songs familiar to everyone but you.

Here are some festive phrases to help you feel a bit more at home this Christmas:

• The words and phrases you need to know to survive a Swedish Christmas

Pepparkakor, Sweden’s traditional ginger snap biscuits, are a staple of the country’s festive season. Food writer John Duxbury shares his favourite recipe with The Local:

• Christmas recipe: How to make Swedish gingerbread

Let’s look ahead towards New Year’s Eve and ask ourselves: what’s up with Swedes’ obsession to watch strange television shows at important holidays, ranging from British slapstick to Ivanhoe?

• How to celebrate New Year’s Eve like a Swede: Six essential traditions