Malmö gets into the Christmas spirit
Christmas in Malmö city, photo: Oskar Falck©Malmö Turism On November 27, Christmas begins in Malmö with the tradition of “Skyltsöndag”. The city’s shops show their best festive window displays and the streets and squares are filled with locals, eager to get into the Christmas spirit.
Throughout December, Malmö will be lit with sparkling, festive lights. Christmas trees that are several metres tall will adorn the city’s squares, lampposts will be decorated as Christmas trees and streets will be decorated with ethereal layers of lights, ornaments and magnificent chandeliers.
There will be lots of exciting activities for all ages and also Christmas shopping at Christmas markets and at more than 800 shops within walking distance of the city centre.
Christmas markets and festive activities
Perhaps the best way to get into the seasonal spirit is a visit to a traditional Christmas market.
The city centre Christmas market starts on November 27 with handicrafts, food and Christmas treats on sale. The market is held on Södertull and runs every day except Mondays until December 23.
Katrinetorp holds its ever-popular Christmas market on December 2-4. This beautiful 19th century manor is the perfect setting for a truly festive experience. Here you can buy handicrafts, flowers and antiquities, as well as Christmas food and treats. There will be dancing around the Christmas tree, with songs and music. For children, there will a lucky dip and other activities. And the restaurant will be serving traditional Swedish Christmas rice pudding spiced with cinnamon, Christmas sandwiches and freshly-baked saffron buns.
On December 10, there will be a Christmas market in the mediaeval setting of St Gertrud’s. There will be stalls in the charming courtyard selling handicrafts and delicatessen, freshly baked crêpes, candied apples, vin chaud and other treats.
On the same Saturday, the Christmas Farmers’ Market will be held at Drottningtorget. Here you can buy locally-produced organic and conventional products from local farmers. Browse among vegetables, fruit, cheese, bread, meats and poultry, as well as handmade woollen and leather goods.
Your can also shop with a good conscience at Good Jul, a sustainable Christmas market at Gustav Adolfs torg on December 10-11. Here, you’ll find Christmas gifts with the themes ecological, fairtrade, recycling, vintage and locally produced.
Christmas fun for the whole family
On November 27, Malmö Museums will be inviting all children (and adults) to a Christmas celebration at Malmöhus Castle. During the day there will be music and singing, a Christmas market with crafts and Christmas sweets, activities for children, animals and much more. There will also be free admission to the museum on this day.
Between November 27 and December 23 all children can visit Tomtemor and Tomtefar (Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus) in their house at Raoul Wallenberg’s Park. Don’t forget to bring along your wish list!
Raoul Wallenberg’s Park in the city centre is also in focus for this year’s winter events. December 9-23 the park will be transformed into a wintry setting, bustling with an international food market, art and light installations and cultural events.
Take a break from Christmas shopping and unwind by going ice skating. There will be free skating rinks at Raoul Wallenberg’s Park from December 9 until January 8. In Folkets Park you can also go ice skating from December 10 until February 28. Skates and helmets can be borrowed at the Folkets Park rink.
At the Malmö Concert Hall you can enjoy a Christmas concert with Nalle (Teddy Bear) and see Malmö’s longest Lucia procession on December 17-18. The Malmö Symphony Orchestra has its own Teddy Bear concerts, where the audience is mostly made up of children and an equal number of teddy bears.
In the New Year, Malmö Arena will offer a large extravaganza when the Disney on Ice show takes to the ice January 19-29 with a fairytale journey starring princesses and heroes. Come see a cool ice show with high jumps, daring acrobatics and fantastic ice skating!
St. Lucia’s Day
December 13 is the day of the traditional St. Lucia celebrations. The uniquely Swedish celebration of light – the figure of the saint, dressed all in white with a candle wreath in her hair – has come to symbolize the banishing of darkness and night. In Malmö, the locals vote for their own St. Lucia, who is always a young woman with a warm personality and a passion for the city. You can follow Malmö’s St. Lucia and her attendants as they make their way in a horse-drawn cortège through the city to Stortorget, where there will be singing from the balcony of the County Governor’s Residence from around 6:00-6:45 pm.
Lavish Christmas buffets with local specialities
Throughout December, restaurants will be offering sumptuous Christmas buffets. In Malmö, restaurants such as Rådhuskällaren and St. Markus Vinkällare will be serving festive buffets in their vaulted mediaeval cellars and
Casino Cosmopol will be offering various games among all the Christmas food.
New Year’s Eve with music, dancing and fireworks
Usher in the New Year at Malmö Concert Hall with music and drinks. Start your evening with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and a unique New Year’s programme at Malmö Concert Hall.
Continue to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Malmö Opera and enjoy a full evening with a special dinner and concert featuring music from operas and musicals. At midnight, you can enjoy the fireworks of the City from the balcony with a glass of sparkling wine, followed by dancing to a live big band orchestra.
On January 5 the Malmö Symphony Orchestra will kick off the New Year in style with Viennese waltzes and operettas in Malmö Concert Hall. Enjoy the sounds of Strauss beneath the crystal chandeliers and let yourself be carried away to the salons and bandstands of Vienna.
Here you can download images
For further information contact:
Elisabet Corengia, Press Officer Malmö Turism, ph. +46 709 34 22 05, elisabet.corengia@malmo.se
