Although the days are now getting longer, some Swedes have to wait to get a glimpse of the sun - not until January 1, it rises in the country's northernmost parts. In the beginning, the sun returns at a slow pace - between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, the day is just minutes longer - but in the second half of January several minutes of sunshine are added to each day.
Sunny NovemberThe month of November has been unusually dark this year - about 10 to 30 hours of sunshine in most places. Lund, which averages 52 hours of sunshine in November, received only 20. Stockholm, with an average of 54 hours of sunshine, received 33. Even the lack of snow in several parts of the country has contributed to the feeling of darkness.
In the old popular belief, the winter solstice marked a dangerous night when the animals could speak and supernatural powers ravaged freely. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, midwinter was associated with a sacrificial feast, a midwinter blot. With animal sacrifices, the gods would be humbled to let the sun return. Basically, there was a fear that the light would never come back unless celebrated in any way.