This Christmas, Ludvig Aberg would cozy up in his home with his family by his side and watch ‘Kalle Anka’. Just like he did many times before. ‘Kalle Anka’, as the Swedes call their beloved ‘Donald Duck’, has become part of the country’s folklore and tradition. Smylie Kaufman of the SmyliePodcast got the Swede talking and the 2023 Ryder Cup winner was happy to share the unique tradition of his native country.

With the introduction of television in the late ’50s and early ’60s, Sweden saw the emergence of a new nationwide tradition. The episode, From All of Us to All of You, is known in Sweden as Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul, (in short Kalle Anka) or ‘Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas’ was the only time Swedes could watch a cartoon on Television. Aberg, who recently became a unique record-holder, and a large section of the Swedes have kept the tradition alive.

Celebrating Christmas – Ludvig Aberg style

Christmas is celebrated a little early in Sweden. A Day early, in fact. This is not the norm for the rest of the world and Aberg knows that. The Elsov native clears the air, “First off, we don’t celebrate Christmas on the 25th. We do the 24th.” Why is that? 

Well, it’s part of a long-running tradition of the Nordic country to watch Donald Duck together on December 24. When we say long-running, we mean since the 60s. You can call it the 21st-century version of gathering around the fire with your peers to celebrate Christmas. 

Ludvig Aberg knows this is going to astonish his fanbase on the other side of the Atlantic, despite the very quintessentially American connection. The Swede goes on to explain with a gentle smile, “So the 24th It’s a tradition that at three o’clock on Christmas Eve, there’s not a single household in Sweden that is not watching the TV. And there’s like a cartoon with Donald Duck that everyone watches is really funny.”

Before you scream, “No way”, let us just tell you Aberg was not exaggerating. At 3 PM on December 24, Sweden sort of stops. Watching the 1958 Walt Disney Christmas Special is part of a tradition that dates back to the arrival of Television for the first time in Sweden. What explains the enduring popularity?

Donald Duck’s enduring popularity

The 2023 RSM Classic winner says, “My mom would watch it when she was little, and that would be like the only hour a year where they could watch cartoons. So that kind of stuck.” Swedes didn’t have access to multiple channels till 1969. In fact, till as late as 1987, there were only two channels in Swedish television and Christmas was the only time the Nords could watch Disney animation.

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