Everything You Need to Know About Celebrating Swedish Valentines Day aka. Alla Hjärtans Dag
Valentine's Day, or Alla Hjärtans Dag as it’s known in Sweden, is a special holiday that is celebrated all over the world, but in Sweden, it's a little bit different. As a Swede living abroad, I am always excited to share my culture and traditions with others, and this holiday is no exception. So, if you're curious about how we celebrate Valentine's Day in Sweden, read on!
Valentine's Day, or Alla Hjärtans Dag, is a special day for celebrating love and affection. But in Sweden, we don't just celebrate romantic love, we celebrate the love between family members and friends too. This makes it a day for everyone to show their appreciation and affection for the people they care about.
How did alla hjärtans Dag begin?
The origin of Valentine's Day in Sweden is a bit different than in other countries. It wasn't a traditional holiday that has been celebrated for centuries, but rather a concept that was introduced by the Swedish retail industry.
It was a Swedish department store, NK, that first arranged a Valentine's Day display in 1956. The following year, an advertisement for the store appeared in the newspaper Dagens Nyheter, inviting customers to come and have their gifts wrapped in red hearts.
The holiday in Sweden was mainly inspired by American popular culture, where it was often featured in books and movies. It wasn't until the mid 80’s that Valentine's Day was officially recognized as a holiday in Sweden and the holiday really took off in popularity. Now, it's common to see record numbers of red roses sold on this day, and restaurants are filled with couples dining together.
Despite its commercial origins, Alla Hjärtans Dag has become an important day for showing love and appreciation to those around us. Whether it's a romantic partner, a family member, or a friend, it's a day to let them know how much they mean to us.
What to give
When it comes to gift-giving, the possibilities are endless. Jewellery, stuffed animals, heart-shaped candy, special bouquets, lingerie or anything you can think of. Whatever you choose to give, the most important thing is that it comes from your heart. But it's not just about the gifts, it's also about the thought and effort that goes into them, and many Swedes love giving homemade gifts.
What to say
In this fun vocabulary kit your kids will create their very own booklet about Valentine’s day and play vocab boosting memo and word-matching games. They will also learn 11 new Swedish Valentine’s related words, and practice their handwriting and reading skills.
This is a print at home PDF kit - no physical products will be shipped.
This Kit is included in the Swedish Starter Library: Get ALL my digital books and printables for just $29!
You can never go wrong with Jag älskar dig, which means I love you. Or, jag gillar dig, which means I like you. Or, if it’s for a friend then världens bästa kompis (the world’s best friend) is sure to do the trick.
If your kids are learning Swedish, then you could also take a peek at My Little Book of Swedish Valentine’s Vocab - Hjärteord.
All in all, Alla Hjärtans Dag might have originated as a commercial holiday, but it has become a beloved tradition in Sweden. It's a day to show love and appreciation to those around us.
So, don't be shy; go ahead and tell the people you care about how much they mean to you.
