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 Lussebulla or lussekatt (Lucia
Buns) by sim1
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 :-) Leave a Comment
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 White Christmas by sim1
Aaah, a white Christmas! Something I always dream of, hahaha, but hardly ever have. But I hoped this year I would be in luck and enjoy a nice layer of snow. And my wish came true, I had lots and lots of snow :-))) The chances of having a white Christmas in Sweden is quite good.... at least in the area where I live. So it looks like I will enjoy many more white Christmas's in the future!
This is a view over my back garden, all covered in the wonderful white fluffy stuff called snow :-) Leave a Comment
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 Julöl (Christmas beer) by sim1
After having talked so much about the food, now it's time to say something about the drinks. And let me start with the Julöl, or Christmas beer in English.
As there are so many different and strong tastes in the food at the Julbord, it's best to have something like a beer to the food instead of wine. So the Christmas beer is what is often served. This beer is generally has a little bit more flavour, is sweeter and darker in colour.
Besides the beer there is also a glass of snaps to toast with. (see the tip about sill, hahaha, can't eat sill without having snaps!).
For kids and the ones that would like to have a non-alcoholic drink there is the Julmust. Julmust is a soda, tasting a bit like coke, and you can only buy it during the Christmas period. Leave a Comment
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 Marsipan pig by sim1
Besides the food and drink there has to be some candy as well during Christmas. Typical Julgodis (Christmas candy) are chocolate, marzipan and knäck (a sort of toffee, butterscotsh).
I saw this fun big marzipan pig at the Christmas market in Taxinge. Leave a Comment
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 Candle lights in the window by sim1
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. Leave a Comment
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 Sill, sill and more sill by sim1
I mentioned lots of dishes for the Julbord in the previous tip, but the sill is an absolute must! The Christmas smorgasbord, like all smorgasbords, begins with fish, especially herring called sill in Swedish. Herring in cream sauce, herring in dill, herring in mustard sauce, herring in sherry, herring that is first fried and then pickled, etc, etc. So many varieties to choose from! I like the more simple ones like the dillsill (pickled herring with dill). Accompanying the herring are boiled potatoes and knackebröd. And of course a glass of snaps! That's because according to the Swedish you can't eat sill without having a toast with snaps. Hahaha, a tradition I have to admit, I am getting used to :-)) Leave a Comment
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 Tomtar by sim1
In Sweden they don't know the American-type santa. They have their own santa-figure: the Jultomte (Christmas tomte). The Jultomte is a cheerful gnome who is the one that brings the Christmas presents. Here you can see some little ornaments of funny looking jultomtar.
The Jultomte has its origin in the Hustomte (house gnome). In Sweden they believed in the tomte gnomes long before the Jultomte was invented as a tradition.
The word tomt means lot or grounds, and the tomte is the gnome that takes care of the houses and the lot. He is a grumpy little figure, hardly ever seen, but always believed to be around. He made sure that the owner looked after his property; you didn't want to annoy him! So you made sure you took care of your house, your livestock and property. And if you did that, the tomte would be pleased and help you to take care of it as well.
When the Santaclaus tradition came to Sweden, the name of tomte was used for the Jultomte (Christmas tomte). It's rather logical in a way to make the tomte the symbol of the Swedish Santa Claus. The tomte has a long beard and a red cap, so in a way looks like Santa. The red cap was a very common hat for farmers in Sweden in the old days, so of course tomte wore one as well. The good thing about the Jultomte is that he is a totally different in character than the tomte. He is not the grumpy old gnome like the tomte, but a cheerful character and a well seen guest during the Christmas time :-) Leave a Comment
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 Glögg by sim1
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. Leave a Comment
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 Advents calendar by sim1
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. Leave a Comment
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 Julgran (the Christmas
tree) by sim1
Of course a julgran (Christmas tree) is part of Swedish Christmas, and by preference it is a real tree. Hahaha, of course I wanted one, and a big one too! I am not sure if this is Swedish tradition, but it's my tradition anyway. I love having a big Christmas tree :-)))
I actually got two trees this year, one for on the deck outside as well. It looks so lovely with the lights and the snow in the tree. Mmmm, it's such a wonderful Christmas this year :-) Leave a Comment
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