Christmas is a festival of traditions as much as an occasion for joyous partying. In Sweden, Julbord, the traditional Christmas feast is central to the Christmas celebrations.Julbord, literally meaning Christmas table, or buffet, is a wide-ranging spread. It ends the four weeks of fasting during Advent and is the main meal consumed on Christmas Eve.

The classic Julbord is the highlight of the Swedish cuisine. Certain dishes are included for their importance in the festivities. The table is decorated with special linen and candles. The traditional Julbord has a minimum of three courses and contains meat in all shapes and sizes.The main food item in Swedish Christmas buffet is ham. The Julbord menu can read something like this.

The first course has cold fish including a variety of pickled and cured herring, smoked salmon,‘gravlax’ (cold-cured salmon) and smoked eel, accompanied by salads, pickles, sour cream sauce and salads.
The second course has cold meats including ham cold cuts, turkey, roast beef, ‘julshinka’ or Christmas ham, smoked leg of lamb, foiegras, liver pâté, accompanied by different types of breads and butter or mayonnaise, potatoes, cheeses, andpickles.

The third course is warm and includes aromatic foods like meatballs, ‘kåldolmar’ or cabbage rolls stuffed with meat, ‘prinskorv’ or prince sausage, ‘lutfisk’ or air-dried cod fish in white sauce, ‘revbenspjäll’ or oven-roasted pork ribs and jellied pig’s feet accompanied with potatoes and red cabbage dishes and bread dipped in Christmas ham broth. A potato dish that is popular is Jansson’s temptation.

Desserts are a selection of pastries, ‘pepperkokor’ or gingerbread biscuits, home-made sweets and candy. When the traditional 'risgrynsgröt’, a rice porridge dusted with cinnamon is served, people search for the almond concealed in it. Whoever finds it has good luck or marriage coming to him.When the leftover rice porridge is eaten with whipped cream and fruit juice, the dessert is called ‘ris à la Malta’. The rice pudding generally supersedes the desserts.

Julbord is not complete without ‘julmust’ (Swedish soft drink), ‘julöl’ (Christmas beer), ‘glögg’ (mulled wine) and snaps.

The Christmas party is on in Sweden! It is time to create memories with family and friends and cherish them in the future! So just go out and feast on the best Christmas buffet near you! Enjoy the traditional Julbord Helsingborg in Helsingborg.

Julbord Linköping combines the best of traditional Swedish delicacies with local fare for a sumptuous Christmas buffet. Enjoy your Christmas holidays and Happy Christmas!