Opening times in Sweden, 1 May, Christ’s ascension, Pentecost, midsummer

There is still a lot to save on certain goods across the border, and the many days off in May provide golden opportunities for a short drive. And the leeway is somewhat greater in Sweden, primarily because they have no law that prohibits shops from being open on Sundays.

Although May is full of red days, not all days are equally red on both sides of the border. While Norway shuts down for a few days, the Swedes have occasionally chosen someone else.

According to Opplevsverige.no, the following public holidays are coming up towards the summer:

• 30 April: Valborg (fixed date each year): half day off
• May 1: Workers’ Day
• May 9: Ascension Day
• May 18: Whitsunday
• 19 May: First Pentecost
• June 6: Sweden’s National Day
• June 21: Midsummer’s Eve

– No red days

If the goal is just to shop for food at one of the large cross-border shopping centres, it’s easy: They are open every day until Christmas Eve.

– It is always like this down here with us that when Norwegians have time off, they are here. So we are looking forward to May, says Ståle Løvheim, center manager of Nordby Shopping Center, to DinSide.

He says that both holidays such as 1 May and Ascension Day, as well as closed days and long weekends, are good days for the centre. And the center is open every single day until Christmas.

– There are no red days here, we are open every day as usual, throughout May, June and July.

Although Nordbysenteret is open every day, there may be slightly different opening hours at other cross-border trade centres, which, among other things, close earlier on certain days. How much earlier and which days vary somewhat.

Typical days with different opening hours are Walborg Fair (30 April) and May Day, Sweden’s National Day on 6 June and Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer Day (this year 21 and 22 June).

Own rules on the System

If you want to take the chance to shop at Systembolaget, you don’t have as many days to choose from. Because just like Vinmonopolet, Systembolaget is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

As the public holidays are slightly different, you get a couple of bonus days (May 17 and Whitsunday), while Systembolaget is closed on June 6 (Sweden’s National Day) and Midsummer’s Eve and Midsummer Day (June 21 and 22 this year).

As a small plaster on the wound, all Systembolags are open at least until seven o’clock on the day before Midsummer’s Eve, which this year is Friday 21 June.

A few days in the plus, several days in the minus

If you ignore the big centres, it is therefore good to take into account that you can shop in Sweden on two bonus days while Norway is closed: 17 May and Whitsunday (20 May).

Likewise, shops tend to close earlier on Midsummer’s Eve (the Friday closest to 23 June) and many are also closed the following day.

Many are also closed on Sweden’s national day, 6 June, but the Swedes don’t have as long

The Swedes may be a little jealous of our national day celebration, but in return they have a magnificent midsummer celebration. Unlike our Sthans celebration this is a moving date, Midsummer’s Eve is added to the Friday closest to June 24th, this year this is Friday 21st.