Swedish Christmas words

Apart from ‘God Jul’ many of the Swedish language books do not give a comprehensive Swedish vocabulary list for Christmas related words. I thought it would be fun to try and create the definite Christmas Swedish wordlist that we can all add to. Words that you may see or hear if you were to spend Christmas with a Swedish speaking family.

I have kicked it off with a list below that Ms Palin gave me and some of my own. I am sure there are many more out there. If you can think of any more Christmas related Swedish words please add it to the comments and I will update the main post with your contributions.

Sylta -jellied veal
Pölsa – ‘hash’ (not the kind some people smoke!)
Julskinka – Christmas Ham
Janssons frestelse – Sliced Herring, potato and onions baked in cream
Inlagd sill – pickled herring
Köttbullar – meatballs
Prinskorv – chipplota sausage
Grisfötter – pigs trotters
Julknäcke -
Edamerost – Edam Cheese
Sillsallad – herring salad – salad of pickled herring, beetroot and potatoes
Rödbetssallad – Beetrootsalad
Ål – eel
Lax – salmon
Gravad lax – raw, spiced salmon
Lutfisk – boiled ling fish
Dopp i grytan – lit. ‘dip in the kettle’, – bread dipped in the cooking juices of the ham.
Revbensspjäll – spare ribs
Risgrynsgröt – rice pudding
Ris a la Malta – Rice pudding with oranges.
Knäck – toffee
Ischoklad – ‘ice chocolate’ melted chocolate and cocoa butter
Mintkyssar – mint kisses
Pepparkakor – gingerbread
Mjuk pepparkaka -soft gingerbread
Fruktkaka – fruit cake
Lussebullar – saffron bun
Pepparkakshus -gingerbread house
Choklad – chocolate
Glögg – mulled wine served with raisins and almonds
Julöl – Christmas Beer
Porter – stout
Snaps -schnapps

Julklapp – Christmas gift
Lackstång -stick of sealing wax
Presentpapper – wrapping paper
Paketsnöre -
Etiketter -gift tag

Julgran – Christmas Tree
Julgranskula – Christmas Tree Ball
Julgransbelysning – Christmas Tree lights
Stjärna – star
Spira – spire
Glitter – glitter
Julgransmatta -

Adventsljusstake – Advent calendar stick
Adventsstjärna – star shaped lanterns hung in windows over Christmas
Adventskalender – Advent Calendar

Julstjärna – Christmas Star (the one you put on a tree)
Hyacint – hyacinth
Amaryllis -
Azalea
Narcisser
Julgrupp – pot of Christmas flowers
Vitmossa – reindeer moss

Jul – Christmas
Julafton- Christmas Eve
Julbak – Christmas baking
Julbock – Christmas goat (not a real one but made of straw)
Julbord – Christmas Buffet
Juldag – Christmas Day
Julferier – Christmas Holidays
Julfest – Christmas Party
Julglädje – Christmas cheer
Julgodis – Christmas sweets
Julgransplundring – Childrens party after Christmas where the kids strip the tree.

Julhandla – Christmas Shopping
Julklappsstrumpa – Christmas Stocking
Julkorg – Christmas Hamper
Julkort – Christmas Card
Julmarknad – Christmas Market
Julmust – Swedish Soft Drink brewed for Christmas

Julpsalm – Christmas Hymn
Julstäda – Christmas cleaning
Julsång – Christmas Carol

Dan före dan före dopparedan – the day before dipping day.(24th Dec)
Uttråkad -bored!
Packad – sloshed
Kalle Anke – Donald Duck. The same cartoon has been shown for year on Julafton.
bakis – to get a hangover
Jularmbåge – Christmas Elbow, what you get in the ribs when Christmas shopping!

And last but not least….Jultomte- father christmas, Santa Claus….