Christmas is magical with children and never more so than in Stockholm, where there’s a winter wonderland of fun to be had. Enjoy Christmas crafting, Santa spotting and… dog shows? Here’s Your Living City’s guide to enjoying Stockholm with children this month.
The Nutcracker at Kungliga Operan
A Christmas Classic! One of the biggest successes at the Royal Opera is The Nutcracker performed to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s famous music. This popular version is choreographed by Pär Isberg with a story located to Elsa Beskow’s Swedish fairy world. Also of interest is a children’s themed guided tour of this beautiful building.
When: Various:
Friday 13th December at 18:00
Saturdays 14th and 28th December, 4th and 11th Jan at 15:00 and 18:30
Sunday 29th December at 15:00
Monday 16th December at 12:00
Wednesdays 1st January at 15:00 and 18:30
Thursdays 9th Jan at 19:00
Where: Kungliga Operan, Gustav Adolfs torg 2, City (T-bana: Kungsträdgården)
Age group: 5-18 years
Cost: Adults from 100 to 850 SEK, children from 50 SEK to 425 SEK
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‘Advent Calendar’ Theatre
It’s short, unique and free! Every day at the theatre, a ‘door’ is opened to reveal a surprise short play, running from 5-10 minutes. The contents is different every day, so be prepared for musical contortions, poetic moments, theatrical tableaux and … surprises. No advance booking required
When: Sunday 1st to Monday 23rd December; Monday – Friday at 16:30, Saturday – Sunday at 15:00
Where: Teater Påfågeln, S:t Eriksgatan 84, 113 62 Stockholm
Cost: Free admission for all!
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‘Pettson får julbesök’ at Junibacken
Poor Pettson has hurt his leg! How can you really celebrate Christmas if your foot is so sore that you can’t go Christmas shopping, make food or chop down a tree…? It looks like it’s going to be a sad season for both Pettson and Findus, but then there is a knock on the door…
The show is based on Sven Nordqvist’s book of the same name from 1988. Theatre Rights: Dragon Theatre publishers. Director: Mikael Kallin
When: Every day through December at 12:00
Where: Junibacken, Galärvarvsvägen, Djurgården (Tram stop: Nordiska Museet/Vasamuseet/Junibacken)
Age group: 0-8 year olds
Cost: Adults – 145 SEK; Children (2-15) – 125SEK; Under 2s – Free.
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Winter Day at Hågelby 4H
At this wonderful 4H farm, celebrate Christmas coming; there will be pony rides, horse-drawn carriage rides, a scavenger hunt, fiskdamm and a grill. In Hågelbyparken itself, a Julloppis (Christmas flea market) will complete your warm winter fuzzy feelings.
When: Sunday 1st December from 11:00 to 14:00.
Where: Hågelby 4H, Hågelbyparken, Hågelby, 147 43 Tumba (bus 707, 737, 708, 738 from Tumba station)
Age Group: all ages
Cost: Free
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Emil turns 50!
To celebrate a special Swedish hero turning 50 (but still so youthful) there will be games, a scavenger hunt and the chance to make Emil a birthday card in the Rotunda at the city library. There will also be a theatre show put on by Estetiska gymnasiet i Stockholm and the company Raben&Sjögren. Please leave your stroller at home that day so that more people can be accommodated.
When: Saturday 7th December, 2013 from 12:00 to 16:00 (Emil theatre show starts at 12:15; Vargen i Katthult at 14:00- be prompt!)
Where: Stadsbiblioteket, Sveavägen 73 113 50 Stockholm (Odenplan)
Age group: All ages welcome
Cost: Free
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Christmas Fun at Kaatach
It’s Christmas time at Kaatach and we celebrate with cozy crafts and gingerbread. We make Christmas cards, Christmas decorations and other fun crafts. Come and create with us! On the 23rd, tomten himself will be here!
When:
Christmas Crafting (free) – 20th, 23rd and 27th December from 11:00 to 16:00
Visit from tomten – 23rd December at 14:00 approx
Where: Kaatach lekland, Energivägen 2B 135 49 Tyresö (bus 875 or 816 from Gullmarsplan)
Age Group: 2-10 year olds
Cost: Adults – Free; Children from 2 to 17 years – 120 SEK; Children from 1 to 2 years – 50 ;Under 1s – Free.
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Gingerbread House Exhibition at the Architecture Museum
An annual Christmas event in Stockholm! Since 1990, the Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design’s Gingerbread House exhibition has been a beloved tradition that has generated great interest among visitors with themes such as the funhouse, the metropolis, dangerous liaisons, and homelessness.
With this year’s theme, ‘future forms’, we urged all bakers to unleash their creativity on the future and its forms. Create your clever ideas on how tomorrow’s homes, buildings and places can look like in gingerbread. How can we build climate- and environmentally friendly to conserve the earth’s dwindling resources? How can your home become more environmentally friendly?
The award ceremony takes place on Sunday, December 15th at 15:00. Until December 14th, you can vote for your favourite, either in the museum or on the web.
When: 27th November 2012 to 5th January 2013
Wednesdays to Sundays 10:00 to 18:00
(Closed Mondays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day)
Age group: All ages welcome
Cost: Adults – 60 SEK; Children (under 19) – Free (Exhibition is free)
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Christmas at Skansen
As usual, Skansen has a wonderful programme for families at Christmas, including the wonderful ‘Isen brinner’ show on the 21st! This year features the Lucia concert, dancing round the Christmas tree, crafting, pony rides, story-telling, meeting Nordic animals and tours in English as well as Swedish. For the full programme, click here. Don’t miss the Free admission on Christmas Eve
When: From 30th November 2012 to 6th January
Monday to Fridays 10:00 to 15:00 (except Christmas Eve: 10:00 to 14:00 and New Year’s Eve 10:00 to midnight)
Saturdays and Sundays: 10:00 to 15:00
Where: Skansen, Djurgårdsslätten 49-51, Djurgården (tram stop: Djurgården)
Cost: Adults – 130 SEK on weekdays, otherwise 120 SEK; 6-15 year olds – 60 SEK; Under 6s – Free. Free entry for all on Christmas Eve.
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Söndagsbus and Stora Scen tours at Dansens Hus
Do you like dancing? Are you curious about how it looks on a dance scene? Come to dansens hus for workshops, tours, songs, dance and music! What do we do at Dance House, anyway? Join Mariella on a tour into the auditorium where the audience sits, while on stage you will meet our stage manager Max who will talk about how the technology works in a dance performance. You may even try out some of the technical elements that are common on a stage.
When: Sundays 15th December from 12:00 to 15:00
Where: Dansens Hus, Barnhusgatan 14, 111 23 Stockholm (T-bana: Hötorget)
Age Group: 1-10 year olds (tours for 4 year olds and up)
Cost: Free
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Christmas at the Nordic Museum
Many wonderful events going on, including hunting for tomten‘s hat, Boxing Day at the playhouse where children can learn to set out the table for an old fashioned Christmas and story-telling. This is the place to come to learn about Swedish seasonal traditions
When: Saturday 21st December to Friday 6th January (Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas day)
Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00 (Weds late opening until 20:00 with free admission after 17:00)
Where: Nordiska Museet, Djurgårdsvägen 6-16, 115 93 Stockholm
Age group: 6 – 12 year olds
Cost: Adults – 100 SEK; Children (under 18s) – free
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Winter Workshop at Etnografiska
A Christmas workshop with a difference! Join us on a tour where you get to know what some of the North American Indians were doing during the winter. In the tepee we will sit down in the firelight and listen to the exciting Indian legend of how the spider woman and the coyote vanquished winter. In the workshop, you can try North American Indian crafts and produce your own winter story with leather, wood and colors. What is the most important thing that happened to you this year and how do you show it in the pictures?
Other winter workshops can be found at the Natural History Museum, the Nordic Museum and the Medieval Museum
When: Thursday 26th to Saturday 29th December; 12:30 to 16:00.
Where: Etnografiska, Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen 34, Djurgården (bus 69 from Sergelstorg)
Cost: Adults – 60 SEK, Children up to 18 years old – free (material cost 50 SEK)
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International Dog Show
Meet dogs and dog lovers from all over the world with demonstrations, finals and awards ceremonies. One of Europe’s largest international dog shows; this year’s show dogs will compete for the title Swedish Winner 2013 (SE V-13) and the Swedish Junior Winner 2013 (VIEW JV-13). A fun family outing in December.
When: Saturday 7th to Sunday 8th December from 9:00 to 18:00
Where: Stockholmsmässan, Mässvägen 1, 125 30 Älvsjö (pendaltåg: Älvsjö)
Age group: suitable for all ages
Cost: Adults: 150 SEK; Children (from 7 to 15 years): 120 SEK; Children under 6: free. Family Ticket: 400 SEK (2 adults, 2 children (7-15 years))
