Winter darkness, summer closures, and the ski-week price spike

In December, Stockholm gets about six hours of daylight and the north gets almost none; plan indoor days and candlelit evenings, and treat it as the point. In July, much of the country goes on holiday at once: some restaurants and small businesses in cities close for weeks, while coastal towns fill up. The February and March "sportlov" school holidays push mountain-resort prices up. Shoes come off indoors in homes, and being on time is expected.