Valentine's Day has a grip on Sweden
As time has passed, however, many walls have been torn down, and the most noticeable change to have occurred must surely be that Swedes have become more open to newfangled commercial ideas. Valentine's Day is now a Swedish affair as well, despite having no link whatsoever to the country's past.
Today huge amounts of roses, jelly hearts and pastries are sold at Valentine's in Sweden. Photo: Sara Mac Key/Image Bank Sweden
A young tradition
Back in the 1960s, flower-sellers in Sweden — inspired by their American counterparts — began to launch campaigns promoting Valentine's Day. By the 1980s, the custom had become all-pervasive, and today huge amounts of roses, jelly hearts and pastries are sold as well. The young in particular have adopted the custom.
The idea behind it, though, is praiseworthy — to show your love and appreciation of another. If it happens to boost the country's economy as well, it makes the Swedes even happier.
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Po Tidholm is a freelance journalist and a critic with the Stockholm daily, Dagens Nyheter. Po Tidholm wrote the main sections about how we celebrate in Sweden today.
Agneta Lilja is a lecturer in ethnology at Södertörn University College, Stockholm. Agneta Lilja wrote the sections about the history of Swedish traditions and festivities.
The authors alone are responsible for the opinions expressed on this web page.
Translation: Stephen Croall/Lingon
© Photo: Daniel Sahlberg/Folio
Copyright: 2004 Agneta Lilja, Po Tidholm and the Swedish Institute. This text is published by the Swedish Institute on www.sweden.se.