Christmas & Julbord Expressions
Swedish Christmas in phrases — julbord, doppa i grytan, Kalle Anka klockan tre and julklappsrim.
Swedish Christmas, the full liturgy: the julbord's strict rounds (sill first, warm food second, dessert third), julafton's fixed schedule (Kalle Anka at three, tomten after), the rhyming presents, the food canon from Janssons frestelse to lutfisk — through julstress, släktkalender, and the sacred lugn och ro of annandagen, until the tree is danced out on the twentieth day.
- 1
julbordet
the Christmas buffet
Tip: lit. 'the Christmas table' — eaten in three rounds, in a fixed order.
- 2
börja med sillen
to start with the herring
Tip: lit. the same — the first round, always.
- 3
andra varvet är varm mat
the second round is warm food
Tip: lit. the same — meatballs, prinskorv, ribs.
- 4
tredje är efterrätt
the third is dessert
Tip: lit. the same — rice pudding and cheese.
- 5
doppa i grytan
to dip in the pot
Tip: lit. the same — bread dipped in the ham broth, an old tradition.
- 6
senapssill
pickled herring in mustard
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
löksill
herring in onion
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
gravad lax
cured salmon
Tip: lit. 'buried salmon'.
- 9
med hovmästarsås
with mustard sauce
Tip: lit. 'with head-waiter sauce'.
- 10
julskinkan
the Christmas ham
Tip: lit. the same — the centrepiece.
- 11
senapen på skinkan
the mustard on the ham
Tip: lit. the same — made at home, ideally.
- 12
Janssons frestelse
Jansson's temptation
Tip: lit. the same — potato, cream and sprats.
- 13
prinskorv
little sausages
Tip: lit. 'prince sausage'.
- 14
revbensspjäll
spare ribs
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
bruna bönor
the little brown beans
Tip: lit. the same.
- 16
rödbetssallad
beetroot salad
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
lutfisk
lye fish
Tip: lit. the same — divisive, to put it kindly.
- 18
mandeln i risgrynsgröten
the almond in the rice pudding
Tip: lit. the same — whoever gets it marries next.
- 19
äta alldeles för mycket
to eat far too much
Tip: lit. the same — the whole point.
- 20
vara helt matkomatös
to be in a food coma
Tip: lit. 'be completely food-comatose' — a modern coinage.
- 21
julafton
Christmas Eve
Tip: lit. 'Christmas evening' — the actual day in Sweden, not the 25th.
- 22
Kalle Anka klockan tre
Donald Duck at three o'clock
Tip: lit. the same — half the country watches the same cartoon, every year since 1960.
- 23
tomten
the Christmas gnome
Tip: lit. 'the farm gnome' — Sweden's Santa, and usually an uncle in a mask.
- 24
finns det några snälla barn här?
is there any nice child here?
Tip: lit. the same — what the Swedish Santa says at the door.
- 25
vem delar ut klapparna?
who wants to hand out the presents?
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
julklappsrimmet
the Christmas present rhyme
Tip: lit. 'the Christmas present rhyme' — a written clue on every gift.
- 27
hitta på ett rim på stående fot
to make up a rhyme on the spot
Tip: lit. the same — for the almond.
- 28
glögg
mulled wine
Tip: lit. the same — with almonds and raisins.
- 29
en glögg i kylan
a mulled wine in the cold
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
julmust
the Christmas beer
Tip: lit. 'Christmas must' — the soft drink that outsells Coca-Cola in December.
- 31
pepparkakor
gingerbread biscuits
Tip: lit. 'pepper cakes'.
- 32
en adventskalender
an advent calendar
Tip: lit. the same — and the TV one at six.
- 33
julkalendern
the television advent calendar
Tip: lit. the same — one episode a day since 1960.
- 34
adventsljusstaken
advent candles
Tip: lit. 'the advent candlestick' — in every window.
- 35
tända ett ljus varje advent
to light one candle each Sunday
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
julmarknaden
the Christmas market
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
lotta julklappar
to draw names for presents
Tip: lit. the same — for big families.
- 38
en prisgräns per klapp
a spending limit per gift
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
julstressen
the Christmas rush
Tip: lit. 'the Christmas stress' — a national conversation.
- 40
släktkalendern
family obligations
Tip: lit. 'the family calendar' — who you have to visit and when.
- 41
få in granen
to get the tree in
Tip: lit. the same — always too big.
- 42
klä granen
to decorate the tree
Tip: lit. 'dress the tree'.
- 43
God jul!
Merry Christmas!
Tip: lit. 'good Christmas'.
- 44
och gott nytt år
and a happy new year
Tip: lit. the same.
- 45
lugnet efter juldagen
peace and quiet after the twenty-fifth
Tip: lit. 'the calm after Christmas Day'.
- 46
lugn och ro på annandagen
peace and quiet on the 26th
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
dansa ut julen
to throw the tree out on the twentieth day
Tip: lit. 'dance out Christmas' — 13 January, tjugondag Knut.