Short answer
New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday. In the mountains, New Year is often celebrated with skiing during the day, dinner in the cabin and torchlight skiing on the slope in the evening – Idre Fjäll, for example, has a torchlight slalom an hour before midnight. Small children rarely last until midnight, so celebrate an early midnight with a country in another time zone. Fireworks are often banned or discouraged in mountain villages – check the municipality's rules.
Early midnights – when it is New Year in other countries
| Country | Swedish time | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | at 16.00 | The youngest – straight after the ski day |
| Thailand | at 18.00 | Before dinner |
| United Arab Emirates (Dubai) | at 21.00 | After dinner, before bedtime |
| Finland | at 23.00 | Children who can stay up a little longer |
| Sweden | at 24.00 | Those who stay awake |
The times apply to Swedish winter time (UTC+1).
New Year in the mountains is something special. The day can start on the slopes, the afternoon can be a trip on skis or a sledge, and the evening a quiet dinner in the cabin with snow outside the window. Many families who celebrate Christmas at home travel up to the mountains between Christmas and New Year and stay over New Year – and for children it can be the best New Year of all.
New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday, and New Year's Day on a Friday. The whole Christmas calendar, with the Christmas holidays and Epiphany, is in Christmas with kids.
An early midnight for the youngest
Small children rarely manage to stay awake until midnight after a day on the slopes. The solution is to celebrate when it is New Year somewhere else. The table above shows when the clock strikes twelve in some countries to the east. Count down together, toast with children's glögg and light sparklers out in the snow – then the children can fall asleep happy, and the adults can celebrate again at Swedish midnight.
Torchlight skiing instead of fireworks
At several ski resorts, torchlight skiing is the highlight of New Year's Eve. Ski instructors and guests ski down the slope in a long line with burning torches, so that it looks like a glowing snake on the mountain. At Idre Fjäll people gather an hour before midnight for a torchlight slalom down Pernillabacken – you can join in or watch from the bottom of the slope. Check the programme at your ski resort, and bring warm clothes and a headlamp.
Read more about the resorts in ski trips in Sweden, for example Idre Fjäll, Sälenfjällen and Åre.
Fireworks in the mountains – what are the rules?
Rockets are common in the cities but are a poor fit for the mountains:
- The municipality's rules apply. It is the municipalities that decide where and when fireworks may be used. In Åre, for example, they are banned in the central parts without a permit from the police.
- The ski resorts advise against them. Idre Fjäll does not arrange fireworks and advises against fireworks on the mountain.
- The animals get frightened. Reindeer, birds, dogs and horses are affected by the bangs, and in the mountains they carry a long way.
- Safety. If you still set them off where it is allowed – adults handle everything, everyone wears safety glasses and the children stand at a safe distance with ear defenders.
Sparklers, outdoor candles and a snow lantern create more atmosphere and less stress. Hold sparklers at arm's length, light them outside and put the used ones in the snow or a bucket of water.
New Year's dinner in the cabin
New Year's dinner doesn't have to be luxurious. Leftovers from the Christmas table make a lovely buffet – the Christmas ham, herring and knäck toffee with the coffee. If you want to cook something outdoors, the whole menu for the fire is in Christmas dinner outdoors, and a stew that simmers while the children go sledging is always a hit. For midnight: glögg for the adults and children's glögg for the children.
An evening walk with headlamps
A short walk out in the dark is often the children's best New Year memory. Take headlamps, a sledge and a vacuum flask, and walk a loop on the trail or down to the lake. On clear nights you can see the stars – and further north, with a bit of luck, the northern lights.
Clothes for midnight
It can get far below minus twenty degrees on a clear night in the mountains. Dress the children in layers:
- Base layer of wool next to the body.
- Mid layer of fleece or wool.
- Winter overall, warm mittens and a hat under the helmet or hood.
- Short time outside at midnight – go in before anyone gets cold.
How to plan the ski trip itself with children is in ski trips with children, and what to pack is in the ski trip packing list.
Frequently asked questions
What day is New Year's Eve 2026?
New Year's Eve 2026 falls on a Thursday, and New Year's Day, 1 January 2027, on a Friday. Epiphany on 6 January 2027 is a Wednesday.
How do you celebrate midnight with small children?
Celebrate when it is midnight in a country to the east. At 4 pm Swedish time it is New Year in Japan, at 6 pm in Thailand, at 9 pm in Dubai and at 11 pm in Finland. Count down, toast with children's glögg and read out a New Year's resolution.
Are you allowed to set off fireworks in the mountains?
It depends on the municipality and the place. Many mountain villages have a ban in the centre without a police permit – in Åre it applies to the central parts – and several ski resorts, such as Idre Fjäll, advise against them completely. Check the municipality's local regulations before you go.
What is torchlight skiing?
Ski instructors or guests ski down the slope in a long line with torches in the dark, so that it looks like a glowing snake on the mountain. At several ski resorts it is a New Year tradition – at Idre Fjäll an hour before midnight.
How cold does it get in the mountains at midnight?
It can get far below minus twenty degrees on clear nights. Dress the children in base layers, mid layers and a winter overall, and plan a short time outside at midnight.
