Saturday 31 December 2011

Happy New Year!

Gott nytt år!

New year's eve in Sweden: Party with friends, trerätters middag (= three course meal), filé of beef, lobster, champagne, fancy clothes, fire works, listening to the famous poem by Tennyson on TV from Skansen in Stockholm at midnight, read by the famous actor Jan Malmsjö, promising things that last till February (nyårslöfte)renovating the house (well, maybe not a wide spread tradition, but seems to happen quite a few years in our house) and skating.

Last year the kids could skate on the outside ice rink in the back yard, although this year with the mild weather, it's good that it's not too far to the indoor artificial ice.

Is the New Year tradition any different in your home country?

Julskinka, jansson, julmust, tomten och... Kalle Anka!

Celebrating Christmas in Sweden is not really like celebrating it somewhere else. I guess every culture has it's traditions and it's charm. Swedens maybe most different tradition on Christmas Eve (the big celebration day here) is watching Donald Duck on TV. Every Christmas Eve at 3 pm, half of Sweden's population sits down to seriously watch cartoons for one hour. Read more about this special habit, written by a non-Swede here.
Swedes don't eat turkey around Christmas. Not very many, anyway. Instead is the ham, julskinka, the main ingredient on the Christmas smorgasbord (which is one of few Swedish words exported to the English language). We drink julmust - don't miss to try that tasty soda, whenever you come to Sweden. It may be called påskmust (Easter must) or simply just must, if you're here at other times of the year.

As in many countries, Christmas has a lot of food-traditions. But it's so much more. It means family, sharing, giving, spending time together. It's time for happiness and to see the children laugh.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Thursday 8 December 2011

Sol och glittrande snö!

Below the Swedish text is a short version in English.

Vissa vinterdagar är så underbara! Solen skiner från en blek himmel. Snön gnistrar. Det biter i kinderna och det är stilla i luften. Hela världen är vit. Nåja, i alla fall den värld som jag ser. Och det är faktiskt sådana här dagar som jag inte känner lika stark avundsjuka mot mina föräldrar, som just nu är på kryssning i Västindien. Alla årstider har sin tjusning, och vintern har ganska många, enligt mig.

Inte ens mörkret, som ju infinner sig ca 15.00, är så betungande när snön täcker marken. För det är ganska häftigt att vara ute i nattsvart kväll med sin 7-åring och åka pulka och slå världsrekord i längsta åk och snabbaste åk och bästa hopp och bästa vurpa.

Här är en dikt som beskriver snö och vinter på ett förträffligt sätt:

Snökristaller

Från Svenska Dikter
Hoppa till: navigering, sök
Af snökristaller klara
står fältet prydt;
om några veckor endast
är allt förbytt.

I glittren emot solen
och fröjden er;
snart sjunken I som tårar
i jorden ner.

I, vinterns vackra blomster,
snart vissnen I,
men utaf edra tårar
skall blommor bli.

Om några veckor endast
är allt förbytt:
af vårens väna blomster
står fältet prydt.


Av Karl Alfred Melin (1849 - 1919)
Källa: Svenska dikter, hemsida
__________________________________________
Some winter days are amazing! When the sun shines from a pale sky, and the new snow glitters on the ground, I'm happy. I'm not even as jealous of my parents anymore, as a picture them on the beach somewhere in the Caribbean's.

Because the first toboganning of the season is priceless. Those days I don't even mind the darkness, which falls over my part of Sweden around 3 pm. To go out with a 7-year old and laugh, trying to beat the world record in longest and fastest runs, best jumps and craziest falls is a blast. All seasons have their appeal, is a Swedish saying - directly translated, and the winter has especially many of them. That's why I'll take a break from the computer and go out in the snow right now!