OUR DAILY BREAD

A given for Swedes travelling abroad for Christmas is bringing knäckebröd, or crisp bread from Leksand. These tin storage boxes offer some protection and can double as gift boxes. Visit the bakery shop in Leksand or the webshop.

IMAGES: PRODUCT IMAGES LEKSANDS KNÄCKEBRÖD

GEAR UP FOR SPRING

In Scandinavia every child knows the mantra Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder (There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear). But it's unusual to find technical gear with a sleek urban look. The Ask & Embla range from Norwegian Helly Hansen strikes a homerun with me. A high collar and 3/4 length is every cold woman's dream. Ask & Embla features adult urban styles every season, combined with function and technology. By the way, did you know that the firm Helly Hansen was founded as early as 1877? 

PS. Don't forget to check out their online outlet for more deals. 

IMAGE: PHOTOGRAPHER JIMMY HANSEN; PRESS IMAGE HELLY HANSEN, USED WITH PERMISSION

SATURDAY SHOPPING?

Inreda.com is remodeling their warehouse and offers 20% on everything in stock in addition to free shipping within Sweden. Offer valid Saturday 25th - Monday 27th of February 2012.

TWINKLE TWINKLE

Another thing to shop for on after christmas sales is the paper stars to hang in windows in advent. 

Three reasons: 

1. You will not have time in november to do it. 

2. They keep well until december, and classic, instead of trendy, designs are what you want anyway. 

3. Didn't I mention they're on sale? Did you really need the other reasons?

Star Suria from Swedish design company Men at Work, with a patented safety construction approved by American Underwriters Laboratory, is on sale at Frapp.se.

IMAGE: FRAPP WEBSHOP

EN SOCKERBAGARE...

I'm the kind of mother who would love to make cute soft play foods, but end up never taking the time to do it. And since I don't have a stash of fabrics I doubt it'd be cheaper. In other words, I'm the kind of mother who would run to Bombadill Design's OUTLET SALE on the 6th of December 10.00-18.00, at Bäckvägen 90, Hägerstensåsen. Aren't these just fantastic? They look like so much fun!

IMAGES: BOMBADILL DESIGN'S FACEBOOK PAGE, USED WITH PERMISSION

OLFACTORY FACTORY

My sister, who lives in the US, stocks up on pure stearin candles from Liljeholmens. She confesses to pulling them out of the cupboard not to light them, but to have a whiff. Why? They smell like christmas, she says.

Since 1830 Liljeholmens Stearinfabrik has been producing high quality candles, making them a christmas staple in most Swedish households. It was these candles we lit in advent as we read advent poems, it was these candles we carried when singing the Lucia processions, it was these red candles mother lit on Christmas Eve.

There's another secret to why they are a quintessential christmas smell. Liljeholmens are suppliers to most churches in Sweden. Since these may date back centuries, even to the medieval age, theirs is a characteristic smell of old stone, wood, metal, glass, and lit candles. Of those the easiest to export is, of course, the candles.

Available internationally through Swedishop, Scandiafood, and Fjorn Scandinavian. Their factory outlet is located in Oskarshamn, Sweden.
IMAGES: LILJEHOLMENS STEARINFABRIK, USED WITH PERMISSION

HIMLA CHRISTMAS OUTLET

HIMLA OPENS TEMPORARY OUTLET 

30-70% off all textile goods, including the christmas collection. 

Where: Outletbutiken, Öregrundsgatan 3, Stockholm 

When: Wednesday 23th of November 10.00-20.00, Thursday 24th and Friday 25th of November 11.00-18.00, Saturday 26th of November - Sunday 27th of November kl 11.00-16.00

Visit the HIMLA homepage to view their collections.