Järntorget was a commercial centre on the outskirts of town, outside the city wall, during the Middle Ages. During the holiday season, it is one of Stockholm’s many squares decorated with a Christmas tree.

See one of the oldest restaurants in Stockholm and a popular spot for “julbord” (a must during this time of year!), Den Gyldene Freden. The upstairs is known as the Bellman floor, where the Swedish Academy meets for their weekly Thursday dinner. They have done so since the beginning of the 1900s.

“Julklappsrim”, “Kalle Anka”, and “lussebulle” may be hard to pronounce, but Swedish Christmas traditions are not complete without them.

The German influence in Stockholm was considerable during the Middle Ages – half of the population and the members of the City Council were German; the Hanseatic League dominated trade; the wealthiest burghers were Germans, and the German language and culture were present everywhere. Hence, many Christmas traditions in Sweden are German.

The square's name is Brända Tomten, which literally means “the brunt property.” In the 1700s and 1800s, if one lived in the Old Town, one had to have insurance to receive help from the fire department. A sign above the doorway, a Phoenix rising through the fire, symbolized having subscribed to insurance. Brända Tomten is a great place to enjoy candelabras glowing in the windows while strolling down the cobblestone streets of Old Town.

Walk through the Christmas Market on the main square, Stortorget, and enjoy the smell of roasted almonds and warmed glögg (mulled wine) filling the air. Stortorget, or the main square in the Old Town, has always been the heart of Stockholm. If cobbles could speak, there would be so many stories to share! Today, it houses the Nobel Museum, which is dedicated to one of Sweden’s greatest inventors and his legacy.

Learn about Lucia Day traditions celebrated on December 13th, including the "Lucia train" or procession, with lit candles and singing, held at Storkyrkan (and many more churches and venues in Stockholm on this day). The Stockholm Cathedral is one of Stockholm's oldest buildings, where King Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia said, "I do." In 2010, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel followed in their footsteps.