God Jul - Happy Holidays!

The Holiday season is my favorite celebration of the year. Although, I am not religious I call my Winter Holiday festivity Christmas, or Jul as we call it in Sweden.  Jul to me is family and friends, baking Saffransbullar/ Lussekatter / Lussebullar (saffron buns), Pepparkakor (Gingerbreadcookies), knäck (fudge like thing?), Glögg (mulled wine) Julbord (Christmas smörgåsbord) that will include Ham, Rödkål, Revbensspjäll, Janssonsfrestelse, Köttbullar (meatballs) mini sausages, herring and so so so  many other really yummy looking and tasting things! I love Jul for the food and the gatherings and all the candles that I can light all over the apartment. Needless to say, Gifts do also bring Joy to the celebrations but lately they have had a less important meaning. I am still thinking about a gift for my husband, it´s been years since we bought each other anything as we always tend to go away for Christmas and the trip itself ends up being the gift to each one of us. 

I decided to host a little Swedish Christmas Gathering this year and had a couple of friends over for Mullet Wine and baked goods! It was a very successful evening and I think everyone had a fantastic time! 

I bought this lantern from Pottery Barn last Winter and I absolutely love it. I change the figurines depending on  the season, the space was occupied by mini pumpkins for Thanksgiving and Halloween. 

In Sweden we decorate our houses full of Jultomtar, they are not quite like mini Santa Clauses but do in a way look like Santa. Tomte or Nisse that we also call him comes from the Swedish folklore. He is a little man with beard that protects your house, is is intelligent and protective but very rarely seen. If you get a glimpse of him you are very lucky! You will find a couple of Tomtar figurines in every Swedish persons home. In my father's cousin's home you will actually find over 300 Tomtar in all shapes and sizes. She even has a greenhouse in the garden which she populates with Tomtar in Winter. 

Here are some felted Tomtar. Just in case you are interested in learning the word for Tomte, here is some grammar for you: Tomte is singular and Tomtar is plural. 

I think all my Tomtar are purchased in Sweden. The mushrooms you see in the picture are from a wonderful 100 Yen store (dollar store) in Japan. They are made from felt and although my guests thought I must be crazy for buying felted mushrooms I think they are quite cute! 

The silver candle holders are inherited from my Swedish grandmother, I love them but they tarnish too fast and for some reason I feel like they tarnish ten times faster in NYC than back home. Does anyone know why?

If I don´t find time to publish another post before the Holidays I would like to wish everyone out there a 

MERRY - HAPPY - GLAD HOLIDAY and only all the BEST for the New Year!

Love from us all, 

Herman, Hermina and Betsy Boo