Author Topic: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!  (Read 17846 times)

Offline Sason

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The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« on: January 04, 2013, 05:36:31 pm »
Only two more days, and then the threat and horror of Holiday Greetings is over!

Swedish holiday greetings are an annual nightmare and threat to our mental health!!  :o

During the days leading up to xmas, if you don't expect to see somebody until after new year's, you say "god jul och gott nytt år" --- which translates, literally, "good christmas and good new year".

During xmas (three days here), you say "god jul" --- "good xmas".

During "mellandagarna" --- "the intermediate days" (the days between xmas and new year's), you say "gott slut" --- "good ending" (of the old year).

On new year's eve, you say "gott nytt år" --- "good new year".

And finally, during the first week or so of the new year, you say "god fortsättning" --- "good continuation" (of the new year)

Got it?

These are the greetings that every Swede has to know without a trace of hesitation, no matter when or where or under what circumstances you greet somebody!!

If you fail to do this correctly, you are faced with social degradation and devastation! Your friends will defriend you! Your family will defamily you! Your work will dework you! You're a disgrace and a shame to all human life!! You will have to live the rest of your pitiful life way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, away from the rest of society and normal, decent people!

You see now why we need so many days off at this time of year? The Horror of Holiday Greetings is such a stress to us, that we need all that free time to rest and calm down.

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2013, 05:51:54 pm »
 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


It's similar here. We have several greetings for Christmas, which are interchangable. And Christmas is three days long, just as in Sweden.

The time between X-mas and New Year's Day is called "zwischen den Jahren" literally "between the years".

After x-mas but before Silvester/New Year's Eve you say "Guten Rutsch" - literally "good slide"

And finally, from stroke midnight of New Year's through 3/4 of January you say "Frohes Neues Jahr" literrally "good new year".

But the catch is, you say your wishes for a good new year only once per person. After that, it's the usual good afternoon or whatever. So if you meet your neigbours on the street in January, you have to decide quickly if you've already seen them in the new year or not, lol. :laugh:

Clearly, you are right: we simply need more holidays with all that decisions. ;)

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2013, 05:58:57 pm »
And of course we need more holidays for all the confusing little dots and circles we make over letters ;) ;D :laugh:

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2013, 06:19:54 pm »
Exactly!   ;) :laugh: 8)

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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2013, 07:02:35 pm »
Too funny...no wonder you need to travel to America for rest and relaxation!
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Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2013, 07:31:37 pm »
Thank you for your kind understanding of our distress, Lee!

Yes, travelling abroad is our only chance to escape the inevitable...

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Offline delalluvia

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2013, 08:46:41 pm »
Only two more days, and then the threat and horror of Holiday Greetings is over!

Swedish holiday greetings are an annual nightmare and threat to our mental health!!  :o

During the days leading up to xmas, if you don't expect to see somebody until after new year's, you say "god jul och gott nytt år" --- which translates, literally, "good christmas and good new year".

During xmas (three days here), you say "god jul" --- "good xmas".

During "mellandagarna" --- "the intermediate days" (the days between xmas and new year's), you say "gott slut" --- "good ending" (of the old year).

On new year's eve, you say "gott nytt år" --- "good new year".

And finally, during the first week or so of the new year, you say "god fortsättning" --- "good continuation" (of the new year)

Got it?

These are the greetings that every Swede has to know without a trace of hesitation, no matter when or where or under what circumstances you greet somebody!!

If you fail to do this correctly, you are faced with social degradation and devastation! Your friends will defriend you! Your family will defamily you! Your work will dework you! You're a disgrace and a shame to all human life!! You will have to live the rest of your pitiful life way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, away from the rest of society and normal, decent people!

You see now why we need so many days off at this time of year? The Horror of Holiday Greetings is such a stress to us, that we need all that free time to rest and calm down.

And we thought all that cold weather made you guys stay inside.  :laugh:  ;D

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2013, 05:46:50 am »
There is no hiding!
The holiday greetings are mandatory even in phone calls.  ::)

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Offline Sheriff Roland

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2013, 06:45:45 am »
too funny - thanks
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Offline Mandy21

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2013, 08:36:20 am »
Oh my gosh, you ladies are hilarious.  Wow, you're right, I'd stay in my house and unplug the phone if faced with THAT much pressure.  Here in the U.S. at the moment, you're almost better off not saying anything to anybody unless you've known them long and well enough to know their entire belief system, and even then you hesitate and rethink before opening your mouth to speak at all.  I tend to stick to a generic "Happy Holidays" because it works for everything, and most people will just smile back and say "You too".  Political correctness got out of hand a LONG time ago, and only continues to worsen.  You never know WHO you might offend.  Ugh!  Now I think I'd rather live in the Alps with you all.   ;)
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