1. Good bye blue sky

Kräftskiva (the Crayfish Party) is a typical Swedish festivity that marks the end of the summer. The crayfish party in Sweden is one of the most well-known late-summer traditions.

Sorry for the reality check but let’s face the truth: soon the sun will be gone, so make sure to enjoy it!

Why is it celebrated in August? The origins date back to the early 20th century when there was a risk of over-fishing. Authorities introduced restrictions on river crayfishing and limited the season to a couple of months starting in August.

2. Eat, eat, eat

In this great feast, the crayfish are cooked in a brine, with a lot of dill. Food plays a central role in the crayfish party in Sweden.

They are eaten cold, with your own hands. Sucking noisily to extract the juices is a must.

Aside from crayfish, you usually eat bread and a strong cheese such, as mature Västerbotten. Västerbotten cheese is a classic part of the celebration, and you can read more about Västerbotten cheese is a classic part of the celebration, and you can read more about traditional Swedish food here.

3. But manners, please!

It is good to have some elegance at the table. People usually wear fancy bibs and hats during the crayfish party.

4. Drinking and singing

Snapsvisor are traditional drinking songs that are supposed to be sung when taking shots. Singing is an essential part of the crayfish party in Sweden. If you can’t speak Swedish, don’t be ashamed to give it a try. Nobody will be sober enough to sing them right anyway…

5. Hangover

The day after a Kräftskiva you will probably feel a bit bad, but instead of blaming all the drinking you can do like the Swedes and just say “jag tål inte kräftor” (something like “it was the crayfish”).

Learn more about the history of this celebration in this article.

Let us know what your favourite Swedish holiday and how do you celebrate it?

Further reading

• Newbie stories
• Work in Sweden guides
• Learn Swedish