Christmas tree plundering

' Christmas tree plundering (Swedish: Julgransplundring) is a tradition in Sweden on St. Knut's Day (13 January), which marks the end of the Christmas and holiday season, which includes Advent Sunday, Saint Lucy's Day, Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. In private homes, there is often a party, mainly for children , with dancing around the Christmas tree and smashing the gingerbread house into pieces. The Christmas decorations are then put aside. Such parties are also common in schools, kindergartens, churches and other places. In many towns, the public Christmas tree is put out of use by holding an outdoor Christmas tree plundering.^[1] The tradition originates from the Nordic region and has changed very little since the 1870s.^[2]

References in popular culture

• The final verse of the 1901 Christmas song "Raska fötter springa tripp, tripp, tripp", written by Sigrid Sköldberg-Pettersson and Emmy Köhler, describes the Christmas tree being carried out ("julegranen bäres ut"); a Christmas tree plundering may specially emphasize the final verse.
• Astrid Lindgren has depicted traditional Swedish Christmas tree plunderings in her books, such as "Pippi Långstrump har julgransplundring" (1979).
• In the 1984 Gunilla Bergström book "Klaga lagom, Alfons Åberg" (later called Lycklige Alfons Åberg), no traditional Christmas tree plundering is carried out. Instead, the Christmas tree is thrown down from the balcony of the flat (apartment) into the January snow: a modern variation for children in urbanized 20th century Sweden.

References