Advent with lighted candles and a star in the window
St Mårten's Eve is celebrated on 10th November, often with a goose dinner. At a classic ”goose dinner” the menu consists of goose-blood soup, roast goose and apple cake from Skåne. It used to be celebrated all over the country but now it is mostly a custom in Skåne.
This year the first Sunday in Advent is 1st December, four weeks before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means (the Lord's) arrival.
At the end of the 19th century people in Europe began lighting candles in the countdown to Christmas Eve.
The Advent star, or Christmas star, is a Christmas decoration in the shape of a star, with an electric light bulb inside. It represents the Star of Bethlehem which led the Wise Men to the manger where Jesus lay. The custom comes from Germany.