Easter Day and Pentecost

Easter and Pentecost have almost ancient origins and are constantly recurring in very many Swedish households. What is unique about the Swedish celebration, on the other hand, is that it unites Christian traditions with indigenous elements that stretch back to Old Norse culture. Therefore, the holidays in their Swedish vintages have many things that have no equivalent in the rest of the world. But what are they really about? And how come we celebrate them?

Easter Day

Easter is an annual Christian holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. That is why it is also called the Day of Resurrection. It always occurs on the first Sunday after the first so-called ecclesiastical full moon after the vernal equinox. Therefore, it takes place on different days every year. How then is Easter celebrated?

• Eat special foods such as lamb, which stems from both the idea of sacrificial lamb and the pre-Christian blot. Relatives and friends are often invited.
• Special decorations and sweets with a special focus on eggs, which according to some is rooted in the idea of rebirth. Many people choose to focus on egg hunting and surprises

In Swedish and modern fashion, the celebration is in many ways partly secularized. Therefore, the celebration varies greatly.

Pentecost

Pentecost is a Christian holiday when it is celebrated that the Holy Spirit appeared for what became Jesus' apostles. That is why the day is sometimes called the birthday of the modern church. When the day takes place varies between 10 May and 26 June, depending on both year and church attendance. The celebration of Pentecost, unlike the celebration of Easter, has not gained much traction among those who do not participate in the Church's activities. Celebrating Pentecost is therefore still closely associated with Pentecost and church activities. Unlike Easter Day, many believe that Pentecost should be more spartan in its execution with a focus on paying attention to and taking advantage of what we have around us.

May 1

Since the end of the 19th century, May Day has been one of the most important recurring festivals and events of the labor movement. Its history is closely linked to the rise of socialism in Europe and has had a very strong hold, not least in Sweden.

But what is the first of May really about?

The growth of the labor movement

Despite the fact that the USA is now mainly associated with the free market, it is actually from there that the first of May originates. Although the idea of organizing works has a much longer history, most believe that its model is a decision made in 1884 in the United States. The American Labor Movement Federation of Labor (AFL) decided to demand a broad limitation of the working day to eight hours.

The Second International was an organization formed in Paris to mark a kind of symbolic extension of the French Revolution, while striking a blow for the rights of future workers. Their formation in 1889 is also usually seen as a kind of beginning of the first corn position as an official holiday.

The labor movement has since been a decentralized social movement with a focus on improving workers' rights. The concept is broad and encompasses both organized trade unions and the ambitions and expressions of individuals. The labor movement has been active in many countries throughout history, but it has been most successful in Western industrialized countries. The labor movement is often associated with socialist and communist political parties and organizations, but it is not necessarily tied to any particular ideology.

The first May train

A special symbol for the first of May is the first May train that takes place every year in several countries. Not least in Sweden, it has had a very strong position. The song Internationalen is in many places the train's more or less official theme song. Although the train is common, they continue to have a controversial position in many parts of the world where the labor movement is not yet accepted.