Events
Göteborg in its Christmas finery
November is the month when the Christmas lights are lit. Blue is the colour for the city lights leading from Liseberg along the Avenue and all the way to the harbour.
Liseberg opens on November 14. 5 million small lights illuminate the park for visitors. There is also a Christmas market at Liseberg selling traditional Swedish Christmas goodies. Snow is guaranteed!
There is a Christmas market every weekend in Haga (from end of November and following weekends). I can recommend this one.
There is an indoor Christmas market at Östra Nordstan and another at Kronhuset which is well worth visiting for that special Christmas atmosphere.
For more detailed information see: http://www.goteborg.com (in English)
There is also a sound and light show outside the Art Museum at Götaplatsen from December 5 to December 23. See the above site for times.
Traditions:
The first Sunday in Advent — this year it falls on November 30. This is a much awaited date. This is when Swedes put their electric advent candles and stars in their windows. These lights certainly help brighten up the dark nights. American Christmas decorations such as illuminated Santas and reindeer are also starting to appear. It is also common to have a candlestick with 4 candles in it. You light one of these candles for each of the 4 Sundays in advent.
I plan to write more about Christmas traditions in my December column. I will add here though that Christmas means baking and even making their own sausages and pickled herring and such to some Swedes. Most people make their own Christmas gingerbread (peppakakor) and special Lucia buns with saffron.
Here is a recipe for peppakakor — Swedish Christmas gingerbread
3 cups plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark syrup
METHOD
Sift flour, baking soda, and spices into a large bowl. Beat the cream until it is almost thick.
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add syrup and whipped cream beating on low speed.
Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Form dough into a disk. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 200°C .
Cut dough into quarters and work with 1 quarter at a time, keeping remaining dough covered and chilled.
Using a floured rolling pin roll out dough as thin as possible. Cut using Christmas biscuit cutters. Transfer to baking tray and bake for about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks.
This makes about 150 pepparkakor.
You can find lots more Swedish Christmas recipes on the internet.
You may be invited to a Glögg party in November. It will probably not include food but gingerbread biscuits (sometimes served with blue cheese) and Lucia buns will probably be served. It is a Christmas mingle party and aimed at getting you in the Christmas mood.
Glögg — this is what Wikpedia says about it “Glögg is the Swedish form of mulled wine, similar to Glühwein in German-speaking countries. It is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. Almonds and raisins are often added to the Scandinavian version. You can buy bottles of Glögg (with alcohol) at Systembolaget or supermarkets (without alcohol). It will certainly warm you up.
