Waffle Day in Sweden

March 25th

In Sweden, March 25th, the Roman Catholic feast of the Annunciation, also called Our Lady’sDay or Vårfrudagen, has come to be celebrated as Våffeldagen, Waffle Day.

Traditionally, March 25th was celebrated as  the first day of spring. As the long nights of winter gave way to the rapidly lengthening hours of daylight, the hens would begin laying eggs once again. People marked the change of seasons with such spring foods as wild nettles, dishes made with eggs and waffles. Over time, perhaps from a slip of the tongue, Our Lady’s Day, Vårfrudagen, became so associated with waffles that people began calling it Våffeldagen. Today, few Swedes celebrate March 25 as a religious holiday, but they do commemorate the day by eating waffles, a custom that has survived not least thanks to electric waffle irons and commercial waffle mixes.

With their feathery lightness and crisp exterior, Swedish waffles are best eaten hot off the griddle, topped with jam and whipped cream.