It’s starting to look like a warm lovely Christmas over here! Red and white paper stars are hanging from every window in Sweden and the advent calendars are being opened every day by my anxious little kiddos. They are so excited to get up each morning because children’s television in Sweden has a special advent television show every day. Each morning at 7:15, Fanny and Lovisa are so excited to watch this Christmas series. Borje says a new one is on each year, every day until Christmas starting on the first of December. And, kids can buy an advent calendar that matches the one that they open each morning on TV. Borje says I should write and American version of "Julkalendern" because it really is a very, very cool Christmas tradition!
Stockholm has a ton of lovely Christmas markets and I had a very nice time last weekend shopping at one in Gamla Stan with friends. They had a gambling game in which you put a coin in a slot next to a number and if the giant wheel landed on your number, you would win a giant candy bar. My French friend Sam, kept playing. And three times the wheel landed on the number just after hers. She might have grabbed a candy bar and ran for it! After wandering the Christmas market, we sat down for a perfect Fika in the coziest café I have ever been in. Best hot chocolate in Sweden too.
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| "Tomten", Santa Claus', for sale in Gamla Stan |
I sent off my Swedish Christmas package the other, with a note on it that said, “Do not open until December 24th!” I’ve always wanted to write that on a Christmas package. It’s filled with lots of Swedish Christmas goodies for my family at home. This week, my mom sent me an email that said she’d just sent my Christmas package and that inside are presents for me to take to South Africa so that Tebogo and I can open them on Christmas eve just like if we were at home in Wisconsin, I almost cried of Christmas happiness! She’s the best mom ever!
Today, I was very happy to get a box of Christmas goodies in the mail from my grandma-but I think I gave Fanny one too many. She was hopping off the walls today. But it was worth it-she had to try a cut out cookie that wasn't pepparkakor!
Recently, I’ve started helping out a couple of days a week in Fanny’s classroom-just to keep myself occupied without spending money. The differences between Swedish and American elementary schools are interesting. School systems are much more laid back in Sweden. For example, kids have recess starting at 1:30 until their parents pick them up around four or five. And, today I joined seven of the kids on a field trip into the city of Stockholm. The kids were given a chance to explore a large square Christmas market on their own, with a buddy. I was surprised we didn’t all have to stick together the whole time and I kept thinking about Pine Lake Camp’s risk management sessions. The kids had a chance to buy something small to take home-Fanny chose chocolate and a balloon shaped like a mermaid. I always have an amazing time hanging out with those kids and it can be the only chance I have to speak Swedish beacause every adult in Stockholm can speak fluent English so my Swedish skills are hardly necessary.
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| Window displays at NK-Stockholm's Harrod's |
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| Skating in Stockholm with Ellie from England |
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