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Tips 1 - 10 of 23 Hedlandet Local Customs
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Local Customs: Glögg
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It's late November and the early signs of Christmas are here in Sweden. I've just been to the biggest Christmas market of Sweden, here at Taxinge Slott. And I have to say it works contagious, I am already getting into the Christmas spirit. For most people, the preparations for Christmas begin at late November or early December and one of the first things that are proof of that is the Glögg.
My absolute favorite Glögg of this year is the Blossas Glögg 2003. It is a stronger type of glögg with 15% alcohol and it tastes delicious. The way to drink the glögg is warm, in a small (but not too small) glass. In the glögg you put some raisins and almonds, mmmmm. You can buy the glögg at the systembolaget (the Swedish liquor store).
Mmmm, I just tasted some of the homemade glögg right now and I must admit that it tastes fantastic as well. Hahaha, it is hard to choose between the two. Glögg is made of sweet red one and herbs. We bought a little bag of herbs - ginger, cloves and cinnamon - at the Christmas market, mixed it through the wine, hahaha, of course added some 'secret ingredients', and let it rest for a couple of days. The result is delicious!
So while sipping on my nice glass of glögg I will try to tell you something about the Swedish Christmas traditions. The Swedish Christmas traditions are so unlike the typical Christmas that I expected : It's a day early, there is fish instead of turkey on the dinner table and a Jultomte (Christmas gnome) instead of a Santa (like in the Coca-Cola advertising saying HoHoHo) is bringing the presents. So as you can see this was quite a culture shock for me ;-)) So please take a glass of glögg yourself and enjoy reading this Swedish style Christmas page.
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Local Customs: Pepparkakor
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Of course you can't go without having some pepparkakor (a spicy cookie) during this time of the year. You can make it easy on yourself and just buy them at the store (hahaha, as I did) or you can bake them yourself. If you decide to be adventurous and bake them yourself, this link to the recipe for pepparkakor might be useful for you.
Don't get desperate though, even if you live outside Sweden it's easy to buy some Pepparkakor! So you don't have to run into your kitchen to bake them yourself. The Ikea has a selection of typical Swedish food in their stores, and I know for sure that pepparkakor is one of them. There might be even more traditional dishes for sale that I mention on this page, but I don't know which ones.
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Local Customs: Advent candles & the First of Advent
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The first of the four Advent Sundays (the four Sundays just before Christmas) is the day of the year when the most Swedish people go to church. Many people have an "Advent candlestick" with four candles. On the first Advent Sunday you light the first candle, on the second Sunday you light the first and the second, and so on, which means that on Christmas Eve/Day the candles look like a flight of stairs.
The First Advent Sunday also means the start of Christmas for many people. The Christmas decorations pop up all over the place, it really starts to feel like Christmas now! This Sunday is also often a date for many Christmas Markets. So it's a great date to get out your own Christmas decoration, visit the Christmas Market and when you get back home again, drink a nice glass of glögg :-)
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Local Customs: Advents calendar
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Maybe you know the traditional Advents Calendar when the countdown start to Christmas. Every day you can open a little window, and in this case (see picture) there is a little chocolate surprise behind it.
But for Swedish children there is another Advents Calendar. They have the annual Christmas calendar (julkalendar) television show, which makes counting the days a little more fun. This TV Christmas calendar has become part of the Swedish Christmas tradition, and this year's show (2003) will be the 38th in a row. From December 1 until Christmas, kids, and often the entire family, watch this show every day.
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Local Customs: Julbock
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The 'julbock' (the Christmas buck, see picture) is one of the oldest Swedish Christmas symbols. Its origin is from the time that the youth was masquerading, often dressed as a bock. The young men were visiting the different houses in the area. They were accompanied by others that act as a choir or 'theatre group'. Together they sang Christmas songs and performed simple acts. As a reward they got food and drink that they saved for a 'gille' (feast), which was held some days after Christmas.
The 'Julbock' is made from straw. The reason for that is also a part of Christmas history. People at that time used fresh straw to put on the floor during Christmas. They used the straw on the floors as isolation, and as it was Christmas time they had fresh straw on the floors. In the 17th century these floor straws were forbidden by the authorities because of the risk of fire. People started to make the Julbock, and other straw figures, instead. But the Julbock is the one you see most often these days.
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Local Customs: 13th December : St.Lucia
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Today is December 13th, Lucia Day. This was my first St.Lucia and I really enjoyed it! St.Lucia is a important day in Sweden, I think everyone celebrates it in some way.
Although the name might suggest it, the Swedish St.Lucia tradition has nothing to do with the St.Lucia from Italy. The history of the Swedish Lucia is very complicated, so I won't bore you with that, lol. The only thing taken from the Saint Lucia in Italy is the name, the rest is a mix of several very old traditions, which over the years evolved in the St.Lucia that is now celebrated in Sweden.
In the photo you can see St.Lucia, a beautiful young girl, wearing a white dress and having candles on her head. Yes, they are real candles! The real candles look wonderful, although I was amazed to see it. The photo you see here is a picture taken while I was watching the Lucia celebrations on television.
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Local Customs: My Lucia day
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On St.Lucia I went to the little church of Sundy, close to my home. It's a small and old church and lovely for a service like this. It wasn't a normal church service as there was only singing. I don't know much Swedish yet, but I recognized the songs, and that made me quite emotional. It felt 'home' while being so far away from home, and to me this was a memorable start of Christmas.
The church was lit up with real candles, which looked so lovely. And than the choir came in, walking through the alley to the front of the church. St.Lucia was up front with the choir behind here, she walking carefully as she had the traditional dress and the candles on her head. If you are in Sweden during St.Lucia I can recommend finding a little local church and join in the service. You might see some unique Swedish tradition and get into the Christmas mood at the same time.
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Local Customs: Lussebulla or lussekatt
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When I started this page I was promised to taste some lussebulla as it is something that goes with the Swedish Christmas tradition and I am told that it tastes great. I was even promised fresh home-baked lussebulla!!!! Arghhh, but I had none :-(( Hehehe, I think I will have to complain at the cook for that, lol. Oh well, Christmas isn't over yet, so I might get some at the last minute:-)))
Lussebulla or lussekatt (Lucia Buns) are saffron yeast buns with raisins. Here is a link to the recipe if you would like to make them yourself : http://www.swedishkitchen.com/lussekat.html
It's now 2 years later, hahaha, and I finally had my lussebulla :-) And it tastes good! So if you are here around Christmas time give them a try :-)
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Local Customs: Candle lights in the windows
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Candle lights in all the windows, I don't think there is a house without them!! Hahaha, almost anyway ;-)) I know this lights from The Netherlands, they were quite common there as well. But in Sweden they are just everywhere! I have to admit that I never liked them that much, but with every window filled with these lights I have to say that it looks picturesque. Even offices take the effort to put a light like this in all the windows.
I can imagine that the Swedes take so much effort to put lights everywhere. The days are short, the night is long. The sun gets up at 9 o'clock in the morning and sets already at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
A saying I like lot since I live in Sweden is :
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
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 Comments for sim1 about Hedlandet | | | | |
Trekki Sun Sep 21, 2008 15:53 UTC
Jingle bells, jingle bells :-)) Haha, I have slowly started getting into Christmas mood, I think I am stupid, but well, lol :-)) The Julbock is already screaming to get fresh air and ahh, I cannot get enough from your Swedish Christmas :-) | Sue08080 Sun Dec 9, 2007 19:31 UTC
What a glorious Christmas page! I'd love to be in Sweden to see it all for myself. Thank you for the virtual visit! | richiecdisc Fri Nov 23, 2007 03:47 UTC
Never to early to enjoy this page and Christmas is right around the corner. Please do come with Ingrid to Muenster! | scottishvisitor Mon Dec 11, 2006 21:49 UTC
Tis the Season = How I love Christmas with candles & light!! |
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on Dec 29, 2003
