Did you get this newsletter sent to you from someone you know? Click on the button below to subscribe for yourself. All you risk is to learn something new (perhaps even about yourself.)

☪️ Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, says in a documentary that he finds it difficult to see how a devout Muslim can also be fully Swedish. He criticizes Simona Mohamsson of the Liberals (Sweden) for promoting the idea of a “blue-and-yellow Islam,” arguing that Islam and Swedish identity can be in conflict. Mohamsson, however, has described her vision as one where Muslims can practice their faith while being part of Swedish society and shared values.

🔫 A man was seriously injured in a shooting in Södertälje, where he was found in or near a car after being shot at close range. According to police spokesperson Per Fahlström, multiple witnesses reported gunfire, and the victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The incident is being investigated as attempted murder, with no suspects arrested, and is part of a recent surge in shootings in Sweden.

🍺 Systembolaget is launching a campaign encouraging young people to talk to older generations about alcohol habits, reversing the traditional approach of targeting parents. The initiative, including the guide “Pappaparlören,” aims to spark conversations during family gatherings such as Easter. The move comes as younger people are drinking less, while alcohol consumption among those aged 65–84 has increased significantly since the early 2000s.

Easter in Sweden is a curious mix of the sacred, the seasonal, and the almost entirely secular.

There are, of course, the traditional elements. Churches hold services marking the death and resurrection of Christ. The word “påsk” still carries its religious weight, at least linguistically. And somewhere in the background, the story remains.

But in practice, Easter in Sweden tends to revolve around something else entirely: food, family, and the quiet arrival of spring. Eggs are painted and eaten in abundance. Children dress up as “påskkärringar” – little Easter witches – going door to door with drawings in exchange for candy. Tables fill with herring, potatoes, and sweets. It is less a solemn observance and more a soft, extended weekend.

Which brings us to a small office anecdote from this past week.

A colleague had arranged a kind of Easter game: letters hidden around the workplace, meant to be collected and assembled into a final word. Eventually, the pieces came together: lärjunge – disciple.

A fitting word, you might think, given the context of Easter.

But when the colleague who solved it proudly presented the answer, she paused and then asked, quite genuinely: “How is that related to Easter?”

It was a small moment, half amusing, half revealing.

Because while Sweden still observes the calendar of Christian holidays, the underlying stories are no longer always widely present. The forms remain; the meanings, at times, fade into the background.

Of course, one anecdote does not define a country. But it does hint at something broader: a society where tradition often outlives belief, and where holidays are less about doctrine and more about rhythm: the marking of time, gathering of people, and, perhaps most importantly, welcoming of the light back after a long winter.

And maybe, in its own quiet way, that too is a kind of resurrection.

Do you have a story from the past that could be worth sharing? I bet you do! Or would you like to see something else in the newsletter and have suggestions for topics? If so, please reach out!