Swedish holidays | Swedish Traveling, Culture & More Adventures

Let’s be honest–most in the US know today as a normal day. The smarter than average worker knows that today is Lincoln’s Birthday, and rarer yet, that it’s Mardi Gras Carnival, known to some as Shrove Tuesday (or Pancake Day in the UK) isn’t a major holiday (in fact, it’s not even at the same level as Ash Wednesday), but this holiday packs some carb calories.

This is a holiday that will butter you up, literally, so you can make it through the fasting of Lent.

In Sweden, the concept is the same. Interestingly, Swedes typically eat pancakes as a type of snack/dessert (or possibly as dinner), often with whip cream and strawberries, but no syrup; but not on fettisdagen. On this day of caloric days, it’s all about the semlor (a bun with loads of almond(y) whip cream loaded on it), especially if dipped in warm milk!

Honestly, they taste ok. Nothing amazing, and not horrible (although I heard more Swedes say they dislike it than love it, but most just “enjoy” it, as opposed to love it).

However, the semlor packs a mere 442; that’s hard to compete with most US fast food joints, where Americans splurged several times a week (let alone having it as a last caloric meal). Such as eating a McFlurry, packed with 710 calories.