SWEDISH CHRISTMAS IN NY

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

Today, I celebrated a Swedish Christmas with my family, in New York.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

We woke up at the crack of dawn and my mom made porridge, like she always does on Christmas morning. Nobody really likes it, but it is tradition, and it went over surprisingly well with the American side of the family.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

It was a gorgeous sunny day, so we took a walk and then started preparing the Christmas feast. I was very proud that we had lots of greens at the table.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

There was, of course, potatoes. Swedes love their potatoes.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

And their gravlax.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

My mom and sister made Jansson’s Frestelse, which the youngest member of our crew referred to as fish pie. It’s really more like a creamy anchovies and potato gratin.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

Instead of meatballs, I made veggie dog bites.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

We had organic snaps.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

Hard and soft bread.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

And, no meal is complete without some cheese.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

We put everything away, I broke a glass and cut my finger, then we had some champagne mimosas.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

Then, finally, it was time to open prezzies. We had decided to not buy anything for each other, but my mom and dad surprised me with two Marimekko mugs that I had been ogling the other day at a Scandinavian design shop here in Williamsburg.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

My sweetheart gave me a bendable tripod, I’ve been wanting one of those forever! (Clearly I am very happy about it.)

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

When all the presents under the tree had been opened, I also had a remote control for my camera, a juicer, and a new coffee maker by my side. All very useful stuff!

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

Instead of buying gifts for everyone in the family, we all get something for $10, wrap it up with no labels, then play a game. The rules are simple: put the prezzies on the table, set a timer for 15 minutes, roll the dice — two of the same means you get to take a present, you are allowed to steal other people’s presents. I ended up with nothing, sometimes you win sometimes not.

Concrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NYConcrete Flower: 101224: Swedish Christmas in NY

To end the night off, we watched a movie while having some more drinks, chocolate, apples and delicious knäck that my aunt made for us. God Jul! (That’s Merry Christmas! to you non-Swedes)

This entry was posted in Food & Wellness, NYC, Sweden, The Good Life and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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