What to buy my Swedish housemate spending Christmas in Australia?
December 4, 2011 5:55 PM Subscribe
One of my housemates is Swedish and is missing her family a lot this holiday season. I'd like to make or buy her something that will remind her of Sweden at Christmas time, but don't have the slightest clue what that would be. Enlighten me!
She won't be spending the time completely alone (3 other housemates will be home, including her boyfriend) however she has expressed to me that not being around family around this time of year is difficult for her so I'd like to cheer her up a little.
I should also add that I am going interstate to see my family from December 20th and will be hiding this in the house somewhere and telling her where it is to open on Christmas Day, so I can't really include baked goods or perishable foods.
She is from Stockholm and we live in Melbourne, Australia. Thanks in advance!
She won't be spending the time completely alone (3 other housemates will be home, including her boyfriend) however she has expressed to me that not being around family around this time of year is difficult for her so I'd like to cheer her up a little.
I should also add that I am going interstate to see my family from December 20th and will be hiding this in the house somewhere and telling her where it is to open on Christmas Day, so I can't really include baked goods or perishable foods.
She is from Stockholm and we live in Melbourne, Australia. Thanks in advance!
and telling her where it is to open on Christmas Day
Swedes get their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. :)
posted by martinrebas at 6:02 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Swedes get their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. :)
posted by martinrebas at 6:02 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I'm doing a search about St Lucia Day, I probably should have noted that she isn't a religious person so it's not that side of the holiday season that she is missing - more so the traditions of being with family and what comes with that on Christmas Day etc.
posted by sunshine arakhan at 6:03 PM on December 4, 2011
posted by sunshine arakhan at 6:03 PM on December 4, 2011
You could buy her some Angel chimes. In the U.S. at least you can find cheap versions all over the place in December (for 3-10 dollars cheap). I'm not Swedish, but I have Swedish ancestors, and Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas without them.
posted by colfax at 6:04 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by colfax at 6:04 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
You might be able to make her some glogg. (I have no expertise and can't tell you what recipe works; my sole experience is a St. Lucia Day celebration at the Swedish Embassy -- and it seemed to me that it was a quintessential part of the whole thing.)
posted by cgs06 at 6:10 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cgs06 at 6:10 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not sure how that would work with the travel plans, though.
posted by cgs06 at 6:10 PM on December 4, 2011
posted by cgs06 at 6:10 PM on December 4, 2011
This is probably dumb, but IKEA has a whole bunch of Swedish specific knick-knacks and non-perishable nibbles.
posted by smithsmith at 6:11 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by smithsmith at 6:11 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Wikipedia's page on Swedish Christmas celebrations might help.
St Lucia celebrations aren't really seen as religious in Sweden (although I can't think of a Lucia-related present anyway). Would it be possible for you to buy some Glögg (maybe at IKEA?), or burn a DVD with traditional Swedish Christmas TV programs? Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton is available on Youtube, and you can probably find other things as well.
posted by martinrebas at 6:13 PM on December 4, 2011
St Lucia celebrations aren't really seen as religious in Sweden (although I can't think of a Lucia-related present anyway). Would it be possible for you to buy some Glögg (maybe at IKEA?), or burn a DVD with traditional Swedish Christmas TV programs? Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons julafton is available on Youtube, and you can probably find other things as well.
posted by martinrebas at 6:13 PM on December 4, 2011
Track down a copy of this Donald Duck Christmas special.
posted by the jam at 6:16 PM on December 4, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by the jam at 6:16 PM on December 4, 2011 [7 favorites]
Just had a search around the IKEA website. Maybe you could prepare a picnic hamper filled with biscuits, jams, crisp breads, pasta, condiments, Swedish chocolates and mulled wine or tea.
posted by smithsmith at 6:17 PM on December 4, 2011
posted by smithsmith at 6:17 PM on December 4, 2011
Here's a recipe for gloggi - though IKEA may have a ready mix you could leave for her along with a bottle of vodka (to be added later, after warming on the stove)
posted by infini at 6:19 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 6:19 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Here are some of the Disney shorts that have been shown on Swedish TV every Christmas Eve since 1959: 1 2 3 4 5 6. ("Ratings show that around 40% of all Swedes watch it on Christmas Eve, the record (in 1997) being just over half the population"). You could maybe download them with the "Easy YouTube Video Downloader" plugin and burn a DVD?
posted by martinrebas at 6:39 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by martinrebas at 6:39 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
How about getting one of those Swedish menorah-like things? You can see them in the window of almost every Swedish around Christmastime.
Bake gingerbread cookies? Those tend to keep well.
posted by pravit at 7:03 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Bake gingerbread cookies? Those tend to keep well.
posted by pravit at 7:03 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
I don't think St. Lucia stuff is considered particularly religious, but you could always ask her.
While you're gone, is she going to have any sort of little Christmas tree? As others have mentioned, Scandinavians tend to open their gifts on the night of Christmas Eve. If she's going to have a little tree, a sweet handmade present might be a little string of Swedish flags to decorate the tree with, or perhaps the Christmas hearts? Those are pretty traditional decorations and might hit that nostalgia sweet spot. (Additionally, cheap and easy to make, especially with shiny wrapping paper like I used to do when I was a kid.) Alternately, the Christmas hearts serve as nifty little gift bags.
posted by vetala at 7:34 PM on December 4, 2011
While you're gone, is she going to have any sort of little Christmas tree? As others have mentioned, Scandinavians tend to open their gifts on the night of Christmas Eve. If she's going to have a little tree, a sweet handmade present might be a little string of Swedish flags to decorate the tree with, or perhaps the Christmas hearts? Those are pretty traditional decorations and might hit that nostalgia sweet spot. (Additionally, cheap and easy to make, especially with shiny wrapping paper like I used to do when I was a kid.) Alternately, the Christmas hearts serve as nifty little gift bags.
posted by vetala at 7:34 PM on December 4, 2011
My (5th-generation) Swedish-American family always makes fruit soup for Christmas. Probably won't keep for 5 days, though.
2nding the angel chimes/christmas pyramid (I never knew the name for these things - thanks colfax). Those always get pulled out of the attic at Christmastime.
I've never been to a St. Lucia Day festival, but my mother speaks frequently about how important those were to her family growing up.
posted by dd42 at 7:38 PM on December 4, 2011
2nding the angel chimes/christmas pyramid (I never knew the name for these things - thanks colfax). Those always get pulled out of the attic at Christmastime.
I've never been to a St. Lucia Day festival, but my mother speaks frequently about how important those were to her family growing up.
posted by dd42 at 7:38 PM on December 4, 2011
You can always buy or make her perishable goods, and put them in the fridge, wrapped, with a note attached that says "do not open until Dec 24th."
Quite honestly though, why make her wait til the 24th? She's probably missing the season and all the sights, smells and sounds that you get in the run-up to Christmas. I think giving her something Swedish and Christmassy the day before you leave; so you can share a celebratory meal or drink with her, would be what she probably love the most. A shared experience, you provide something she misses, and she shares it with you and explains its significance.
posted by Joh at 8:21 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Quite honestly though, why make her wait til the 24th? She's probably missing the season and all the sights, smells and sounds that you get in the run-up to Christmas. I think giving her something Swedish and Christmassy the day before you leave; so you can share a celebratory meal or drink with her, would be what she probably love the most. A shared experience, you provide something she misses, and she shares it with you and explains its significance.
posted by Joh at 8:21 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Definitely Lucia buns :) I think it would be super cute (cheesy fun) to show up in the morning with a little fake headdress and give her Lucia buns!
There are some beautiful straw decorations that we always bring out.
posted by Madamina at 9:30 PM on December 4, 2011
There are some beautiful straw decorations that we always bring out.
posted by Madamina at 9:30 PM on December 4, 2011
I used to have a Swedish roommate. Definitely some glogg going on in the kitchen at Christmas time. You can buy Glogg-scented shower gel from Lush!
posted by oceanview at 10:28 PM on December 4, 2011
posted by oceanview at 10:28 PM on December 4, 2011
My Swedish (and Finnish) friends make this special vodka drink by putting this salty black liquorice candy called Salmiak into a bottle of vodka and shaking it until the candy dissolves. Then they put the vodka in the refrigerator or freezer. it is delicious. it might remind her of home.
posted by gt2 at 10:38 PM on December 4, 2011
posted by gt2 at 10:38 PM on December 4, 2011
What is important to me for xmas outside of Sweden, celebrate xmas on 24th, with food starting around 4. Presents in evening. You need lussebullar (already mentioned), pepparkakor (ginger snaps), glogg (alcoholic), or julmust (non-alcoholic). As said, find any IKEA and go to the exit, they usually sell swedish food/snacks and drinks.
salmiakki-vodka is fantastic, but not really "connected" with xmas.
posted by lundman at 11:05 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
salmiakki-vodka is fantastic, but not really "connected" with xmas.
posted by lundman at 11:05 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Emigrated Swede here. Some of my personal opinions below (other Swedes may feel differently, obviously).
Although I know that some people put strings with flags on the Christmas tree, I'd find it a little weird. In facts, many Swedes find Swedish flags out of context (June 6, maybe Midsummer) somewhat weird. Definitely not something I associate with Christmas. The linked paper hearts as well as smällkarameller are both spot-on traditional do-it-yourself Christmas tree decorations. However, there is an expectation that either comes with julgodis (Christmas candy) inside. ;) The most traditional julgodis is knäck, although ischoklad will do in a pinch.
Lucia celebrations has no religious connotation for 99.9% of Swedes. After all, she was a saint, and Swedish Protestantism does not quite recognize saints. ;)
Lussebullar (saffron buns) would be lovely, since they're what I miss the most about Swedish Christmas when not in Sweden. Together with pepparkakor (gingerbread cookies / ginger snaps), they can be eaten throughout December. However, having tried to make lussebullar in Canada a couple of years ago, I will warn you that making them in a standard North American kitchen is quite difficult (not sure about Australia...?). "Modern" Swedish recipes tend to use quark cheese (like this), because they go dry quite easily otherwise. However, even having tracked down the quark cheese and the saffron threads, things didn't turn out quite right for me (they didn't rise properly -- maybe it was the lack of fresh yeast or the flour?). Finally, Swedish ovens heat from above and from below, and neither the bake nor broil setting on my Canadian oven will give me that. Things might work better if you have a convection oven. If you manage to bake them, however, you can just pop them in the freezer as they freeze brilliantly.
I would discourage you from baking pepparkakor yourself. First, the dough is quite hard to get right, and second, you can probably find them in better grocery stores (I've found them both in Canada and the US). Just look for something labelled gingerbread and is made in Sweden (at my local corner store, they sell the Nyåkers brand, for example).
Adventsljusstakar (both the electric and candle kind) are very nice. The candle kind may look any way as long as it has four candles in a row: it's how you burn the candles that makes it an adventsljusstake.
The Donald Duck Christmas special is pretty nice if she's into that sort of thing (for sure very traditional). Although personally, I would feel very depressed watching it on my own without family or friends on Christmas. YMMV.
posted by yonglin at 11:15 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Although I know that some people put strings with flags on the Christmas tree, I'd find it a little weird. In facts, many Swedes find Swedish flags out of context (June 6, maybe Midsummer) somewhat weird. Definitely not something I associate with Christmas. The linked paper hearts as well as smällkarameller are both spot-on traditional do-it-yourself Christmas tree decorations. However, there is an expectation that either comes with julgodis (Christmas candy) inside. ;) The most traditional julgodis is knäck, although ischoklad will do in a pinch.
Lucia celebrations has no religious connotation for 99.9% of Swedes. After all, she was a saint, and Swedish Protestantism does not quite recognize saints. ;)
Lussebullar (saffron buns) would be lovely, since they're what I miss the most about Swedish Christmas when not in Sweden. Together with pepparkakor (gingerbread cookies / ginger snaps), they can be eaten throughout December. However, having tried to make lussebullar in Canada a couple of years ago, I will warn you that making them in a standard North American kitchen is quite difficult (not sure about Australia...?). "Modern" Swedish recipes tend to use quark cheese (like this), because they go dry quite easily otherwise. However, even having tracked down the quark cheese and the saffron threads, things didn't turn out quite right for me (they didn't rise properly -- maybe it was the lack of fresh yeast or the flour?). Finally, Swedish ovens heat from above and from below, and neither the bake nor broil setting on my Canadian oven will give me that. Things might work better if you have a convection oven. If you manage to bake them, however, you can just pop them in the freezer as they freeze brilliantly.
I would discourage you from baking pepparkakor yourself. First, the dough is quite hard to get right, and second, you can probably find them in better grocery stores (I've found them both in Canada and the US). Just look for something labelled gingerbread and is made in Sweden (at my local corner store, they sell the Nyåkers brand, for example).
Adventsljusstakar (both the electric and candle kind) are very nice. The candle kind may look any way as long as it has four candles in a row: it's how you burn the candles that makes it an adventsljusstake.
The Donald Duck Christmas special is pretty nice if she's into that sort of thing (for sure very traditional). Although personally, I would feel very depressed watching it on my own without family or friends on Christmas. YMMV.
posted by yonglin at 11:15 PM on December 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Buy some oranges or clementines. Stick cloves into them. Put them somewhere in the kitchen before you leave.
If you go to Ikea, don't forget the herring.
Also, this Christmas song (Jussi Björling, "O Helga Natt").
posted by iviken at 5:06 AM on December 5, 2011
If you go to Ikea, don't forget the herring.
Also, this Christmas song (Jussi Björling, "O Helga Natt").
posted by iviken at 5:06 AM on December 5, 2011
Mod note: Folks, let's keep the Pirate Bay stuff off of here, feel free to email it to the OP directly.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:03 AM on December 5, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 10:03 AM on December 5, 2011
Last year, my boyfriend got his Swedish sister-in-law these Dala horse baking pans from Ikea and she loved them.
posted by jabes at 4:09 PM on December 5, 2011
posted by jabes at 4:09 PM on December 5, 2011
As yonglin mentioned, the streams of flags on the tree is more of a Danish thing, as it was illegal to have a Danish flag during the war, but "decorations" was classified differently. Not sure it took on as well in sweden though.
Dala horse is very swedish, but not associated with xmas ? But having the lit advent star in the window was something we had as kids every year.
posted by lundman at 7:15 PM on December 5, 2011
Dala horse is very swedish, but not associated with xmas ? But having the lit advent star in the window was something we had as kids every year.
posted by lundman at 7:15 PM on December 5, 2011
I did a quick google search, and came across a swedish church in Melbourne. You said she wasn't religious, but I'd bet they'll have all the traditional pagents and events that she might remember growing up. I've seen the St. Lucia thing, and it's really lovely.
Failing that, the church might just be a good place for her to connect with some local swedes (or swedish groups) and get some comfort from homesickness.
posted by specialnobodie at 2:56 PM on December 6, 2011
Failing that, the church might just be a good place for her to connect with some local swedes (or swedish groups) and get some comfort from homesickness.
posted by specialnobodie at 2:56 PM on December 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Could you celebrate St. Lucia Day for her?
posted by a robot made out of meat at 5:58 PM on December 4, 2011 [1 favorite]