A glowing ritual at the heart of Nordic winter
In Sweden, the Christmas season doesn’t truly begin with street decorations or the first holiday markets. The real magic starts when the windows of homes light up with Christmas candelabras, the classic adventsljusstakar.
It transforms entire neighborhoods into warm, inviting landscapes that brighten the dark Scandinavian winter.
A tradition born to bring light
This custom dates back to the early 1900s, when Swedish households used real candles during Advent, lighting one for each Sunday leading up to Christmas. As electric lighting became more common, families gradually transitioned to wooden or metal candelabras fitted with small bulbs, safer and easier to maintain.
Over time, the Advent candelabra evolved from a religious symbol into a cultural ritual embraced by everyone, including those who celebrate Christmas in a more secular or purely decorative way.
Why the window?
In a country where daylight fades by mid-afternoon during December, light becomes a language of its own. Placing a candelabra in the window means bringing light inside while offering it outward, creating a connection between home and street. It’s a quiet way of “keeping each other company,” making towns and cities feel warmer and more welcoming throughout the long winter months. In many Swedish communities, especially in smaller towns, a window without its Christmas lights can feel almost “empty,” as if something essential were missing.
Scandinavian design at its finest
From a design perspective, Swedish Christmas candelabras perfectly reflect the core principles of Scandinavian aesthetics:
- simple lines
- natural materials such as birch, beech, or pine
- gentle, diffused light that glows rather than dazzles
The result is a discreet yet iconic decorative element that fits effortlessly into any interior style — from minimalist spaces to more traditional Nordic homes.
You can find my Candelabras selection on my shop
A living tradition
Every year, between late November and early December, Swedish families unpack their candelabras, often carefully stored since the previous season. Some pieces are inherited, others are newly purchased following current Scandinavian design trends. But the ritual remains the same: lighting the Advent candelabra to make winter feel a little kinder.
Strolling through Stockholm, Gothenburg, or Malmö during the Christmas season, it becomes clear that these small lights are more than decoration... they’re a way of living the holidays with warmth, simplicity, and the understated beauty that defines the Nordic spirit.
