KNOT AN AVERAGE GIFT

HRH Queen Silvia of Sweden founded the World Childhood Foundation 1999 and in celebration of their 15 years they are releasing a more exclusive version of their colourful childhood bracelet. Available in 20 colour combinations and a larger leather version for men. The perfect gift in many ways. 

IMAGE: PRESS IMAGE  WORLD CHILDHOOD FOUNDATION

CHRISTMAS AT IKEA

Beautiful styling from IKEA. View their christmas collections here.
IMAGE: PRESS IMAGE IKEA; USED WITH PERMISSION

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

The Swedish Public Radio has two channels devoted to christmas music only. The channels are available between the 26th of November and 9th of January.  Both stations are available online:

P2 Klassisk jul, traditional christmas music
P4 Bjällerklang, popular christmas music

Happy listening!

SHOW ME THE CHEESE!

 

One of the few things from Sweden I miss is hard cheese. These new releases from Kvibille have been cured for 18 months and will be on my wish list of contraband* gifts for christmas.I'm already dreaming about what I'll pair them with...mulled cider...  cloudberries... fig marmalade...

(*That was a joke, it's perfectly legal to bring these cheeses across the Scandinavian borders).

HOW'S IT HANGING?

Standard sized ornaments are slightly too small to create balance in larger trees, but Bohus Interior has ones that are sized just right. Glassornaments are a hazard and ... yup, I broke one last year, so some new acquisitions are due.

IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE BOHUS. NO

SCANDI CELEBRATIONS LITE

Do you want to bring a little bit of Scandinavia into your christmas season without sidestepping any of your present family traditions? Try one or more of these simple additions:

Make a 4-candle arrangement and light a candle each Sunday in advent.
Serve 7 kinds of cookies. 
Celebrate the day of Lucia on the 13th of December and eat some kind of buns.

Find a CD with Scandinavian christmas music you enjoy and add to your December playlist. 

Add gravlax and Swedish meatballs to your holiday brunch.

WIPE IT OUT

We've put the blue Lexington kitchen towels (thank you Sissel) to good use. Still going strong after 7 years of intense kitchen labor. Now I'm contemplating red ones for the winter season to match the rest of the kitchen's holiday get up.
 IMAGE: LÄNNA MÖBLER WEBSHOP

THE BUN BAKE OFF

Made the first batch two weeks ago using this recipe, and for the second batch I'm attempting the one crowned the best recipe for Lussebullar by the ICA Buffé test kitchen. They tested a whopping 20 recipes so I have high expectations for the winner! Now, if I could just get this baby to sleep so I have time to follow the directions meticulously...
IMAGE: YOUNG WOMAN BAKING, 1939, UPPLANDSMUSEET LÄNSMUSEET 

MUSIC (BE)FOR(E) ADVENT

  

Tender instrumental arrangements that match the silent landcape and falling snow outside our window: Jul på norska by "Jojje" Wadenius, Julsånger utan ord with Mats Bergström och Georg Riedel. And  for the 1st Sunday in advent: JUL with Songlaget BUL Oslo. Click on cover to preview. 

IMAGES: ITUNES

MULLING IT

Mulling spices for glögg. They look pretty good packaged in a clear container. I wish I had the time to show you my splendid attempt of a copycat version as neighbour gifts. Perhaps an idea for all you DIY:ers out there? Glöggkrydda from GRANIT.

IMAGE: GRANIT WEBSHOP

BEST IN SHOW 2013

The best christmas inpiration this year is found in the advent catalogue from Norwegian store Home and Cottage. Get a big mug of something hot, cozy up, and browse it HERE.
IMAGE: HOME AND COTTAGE BLOG, PHOTOGRAPHER PER STIAN JOHNSEN 

TWO WEEKS BEFORE ADVENT

...and that was it. Apparently we couldn't wait any longer. The feathery flakes have been falling silently all afternoon. I wanted to find a recipe for making our own alcoholfree glögg, and my son joined in the kitchen adventures. Now if you're tasting glöggrecipes, you might as well bring out a few saffron buns from the freezer, some nuts and dark chocolate. And if your son is gloomier than the sky, you can bring out his favourite christmas CD to top it off.

Julen er her.

THE WOES OF ONLINE SHOPPING

We "need" a new fruit platter (I prefer to store the fruit on a platter instead of a bowl. It keeps better and is more versatile). I've decided on a Mateus platter but which colour and model? I think the one above is the one, but I keep changing my mind since I can't see and hold it. Not being able to see actual colour and real life size is the ultimate downfall of ordering online. Available from Kids&Friends among others. 

IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE KIDS&FRIENDS WEBSHOP 

THE NEW FAVOURITE

I'm so glad Johanne ornaments were gifted to us a few years ago (thank you svigers) because I never would have thought to pay so much for something so dainty and romantic. It seemed they'd disappear in the greenery, but it turns out they look incredible and are easily placed since they don't require the sturdiest of branches. Now they're a constant item on my wish list. Available in two sizes and in gold and palladium. 

IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE GEORG JENSEN WEBSHOP

SWEDISH GRACE

Louise Adelborg has designed the porcelain that has been gracing Swedish dinner tables since the thirties and our christmas table since, well, 2011. The colour "sky" (top left) is being discontinued which naturally makes me crave that particular colour more than ever before...

IMAGE: PRESS IMAGE RÖRSTRAND

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT 'TIL IT'S GONE

A few days ago it was a sunny winter wonderland, but then the clouds rolled in and warmer degrees turned the crispy white into a slush of gray. And as usual that turned to ice that melted a little during the day. Slippery? Ask the bruises on my hip, knee, elbow and ankle. Ouch.

THE BEST DICE GAME EVER

This is the perfect ace up your sleeve for impromptu game nights, a sleepover, youth activities, family reunions, or the event that usually involves all of the above: Christmas at your house. Works equally great with a big bar, pralines, wrapped pieces, or a pile of M&M's. Try it tonight and thank me later.

Supplies needed: chocolate stash, five dice, a pen.

Play Yahtzee according to your regular rules, but the player with the highest score per set (house, straights etc.) gets one piece of chocolate. If players get an equal score in a set, neither gets chocolate. The final winner with the highest score, gets what's left of the chocolate pile.

It sounds ridiculously simple, and it is! But because you can play strategically to limit the other players' gains (by aiming for equal scores as someone else) it quickly becomes a lively competition for chocolate!

IMAGE: PHOTOGRAPHER HANS OLOFSSON VIA FLICKR

WHEN THE CHILDREN HAVE GONE TO BED

"When the children have gone to bed" by Carl Larsson. Exchange the book for an ipad and there's the scene in this household after 8 PM: parents negotiating with themselves between the pile of "things-that-need-to-get-done" and the list of "things-I want-to-do-instead".

BRAID ME

This largecandle holder BRAID from Indiska must have been made for those of us who don't have the time to source unique ceramic items in dark corners of flea markets. Would look good next to pumpkins as well as small juniper trees. 

IMAGE: INDISKA WEBSHOP

A HAPPY ENDING

Needed a tin box for gingerbread cookies 2011. Bought a box from Nyåkers beacause of its Scandi-christmas-feel. Brought the content to a church fika, and replaced it with the homemade creations of 3-year old son. Spent two holidays annoyed at myself for being annoyed by the ridiculous fact that the red colour of the tin doesn't match the red that I've chosen for holiday decorations.

Yes, I'm aware that it's a little alarming that this is on the list of things that annoy me in the world. This year, discovered that the bakery makes a larger box that come a lot closer to the right colour.

Happy endings are great.
IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE NYÅKERS