This article was first published in Stockholm News 2008-12-24
Christmas is celebrated in slightly different ways in different countries. In some places the “Big Day” is the 25th, when Jesus was actually born. In others, like Sweden, the 24th is the ”Big Day”. Sweden also have a rather unique tradition.
Today, the 24th of December, is the day all kids look forward to and the day most of the Christmas food is consumed. It is also the day when the Christmas gifts are opened. But Sweden also has one rather peculiar tradition which has been going on since 1959. Every Christmas Eve at 3 pm, millions of Swedes interrupt their consumptions of meat balls, chipolata sausages, herrings, hard bread and whatever they are eating, to turn on the TV. People schedule family gatherings and Christmas gifts opening in a way that nothing will disturb them between 3 pm and 4 pm.
What can possibly be that important to watch every year? The answer is; they are watching several short cartoons with Disney figures like Donald Duck (Sw:Kalle Anka), Micky Mouse (Musse Pigg) and short films like the Story of Ferdinand, Santa’s workshop and many more. Most of the episodes are the same from year to year.
It is true that one million people less than ten years ago watch Donald Duck but still 3.5 million (of a population on 9 million) do so. Why is that? To understand that; we have to look at the technological development in the sixties and seventies. There was only one (later two) channel(s) and no internet. The only time the kids could watch Donald Duck was at Christmas Eve. So it became something to long for and when they grew up they continued to watch every year as a tradition.
In the late 80ies the state monopoly started to break up and new channels saw the light of the day. In 2008, of course, there is no problem for those who want to see Donald Duck whenever they want to do so, but the tradition has turned out to be stubborn. It is however likely that the interest will decrease even more in the future. Kids brought up today probably do not understand what’s special with Donald Duck on Christmas Eve. Svenska Dagbladet presented yesterday statistics showing that among children and young people under twenty-four, 600 000 less watched Donald Duck on Christmas Eve last year compared with 1997.
Another cartoon, which many people watch, is on air later on Christmas Eve. The Tale about Karl-Bertil Jonsson’s Christmas Eve is a humorous and warm story about a fourteen year old boy who is the son of a wealthy owner of a department store, but still prefers to work extra at the post office to make his own money. His big idol is Robin Hood. Karl-Bertil is inspired by the motto to “take from the rich, and give to the poor” and soon he decides to practice that with the Christmas gifts sent by mail. It is a short film, about twenty-five minutes, but a lot of things happen. It is in Swedish but you will probably understand the most important things. It starts at 7 pm in SvT 1.
