It’s one degree below freezing and sunny here in NYC.
I do wish we had snow, but am definitely not complaining about this pleasant mild weather.
Instead, I added some white fluffiness with this new vest that I scored at Marshall’s this week for $30. Very cozy.
Today, I celebrated a Swedish Christmas with my family, in New York.
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.
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.
There was, of course, potatoes. Swedes love their potatoes.
And their gravlax.
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.
Instead of meatballs, I made veggie dog bites.
We had organic snaps.
Hard and soft bread.
And, no meal is complete without some cheese.
We put everything away, I broke a glass and cut my finger, then we had some champagne mimosas.
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.
My sweetheart gave me a bendable tripod, I’ve been wanting one of those forever! (Clearly I am very happy about it.)
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!
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.
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)
Under the mistletoe at the Inhabitat holiday party with gorgeous ladies Sarah and Emma. If the mistletoe would have actually made the picture, my air kiss may have looked less out of context…
I’m not a huge fan of baked goods. That said, I will eat a cupcake if it is offered to me. Then I’ll feel guilty and overindulged, swear not to do that again, and forget all about it the next time a tray of colorfully frosted cupcakes appear.
These tiny cupcakes from Baked by Melissa are perfectly bite size — small enough to have two (with no guilt attached). I simultaneously love and am a little frightened by this tie-dye one.
Best of all, if you order more than 300 you can make your own flavor! How awesome would that be for a party?
This laptop sleeve was one of my faves from the Environment by Heather Heron collection that I got a preview of the other night. Unfortunately it does not quite fit my 15″ MacBook (that size is still in the works, so stay tuned).
I also found out that it’s made from recycled Swedish army fabric!! See the three crowns emblem there? So awesome. That, of course, made me love it even more.
The laptop sleeve could work as a clutch too, just sayin’…
Touching, feeling and trying to send subliminal message to Santa.
The people who showed up were all extremely well-dressed. Love that.
I really dig this giant green bag. I always carry so much stuff around me that if I had this bag, I would totally fill it up with stuff, which, I think, would not be so good for my back. But, it would be perfect for some yurt camping in the California desert!
Me and the lovely Heather Heron. Fringe and fluff.
WHO: Johanna Björk
