Differences and similarities in Italy and Sweden’s culture.

Both Italy and Sweden is Christian. The difference is that Italy is Catholics and Sweden is Protestants. Italy and Sweden are both celebrating Lucia December the 13^th. In Sweden we celebrate Lucia by Lucia trains and eating saffron buns. In the morning December the 13th the kids in Italy wait for gifts from Lucia. Italy “celebrates” saints every day. Sweden doesn’t celebrate saints except for Lucia.

In Sweden we have a tradition called midsummer. The tradition is from the Viking age. At midsummer we dance around a maypole and sing child songs. Midsummer is the lightest day of the whole year before it turns around and goes darker. Midsummer happens under the summer break in Sweden (June to August). Other breaks in Sweden are: February (1 week), March (1 week), October (1 week) and from the end of December to January there is Christmas holiday. In Italy they have break from the beginning of June till the middle of September. From December the 23th to the beginning of January they have Christmas holiday. Easter holiday is from 24th of March to the 29^th of March.

Italy and Sweden have the same kinds of shows on TV. For example MasterChef, cartoons and reality programs.

In Italy it’s legal to drink alcohol when you are 16. The legal age for buying is 18. In Sweden it’s legal to drink when you are 18 and buying when you are 21.

Don´t break a mirror in Italy because that will bring you 7 years of bad luck. If you leave your keys on the table or walk on a well with the letter A on it in Sweden it will bring you bad luck. If your cake bit falls you will not get married. In common of both Italy and Sweden the superstitions are:

·         Walk under a ladder - bring you bad luck.

·         Black cat crosses the road. Spit behind your shoulder because otherwise that cat will bring you bad luck.

·         Find a four-leaf clover - bring you good luck.