Gamla Stan Christmas Market

Christmas markets are popular here.  The first to open is the small market in Gamla Stan (Old Town) on the main square in front of the Nobel Museum.  This market is open daily from November 30th until Christmas. 

At these markets you will usually find:

• Glogg, coffee, tea, hot chocolate
• Waffles, hot dogs and roasted nuts
• Skogs Knacke - big, round, flat crackers
• Sheep skin in many forms... hats, gloves, slippers, etc.
• Cured meats, fish
• Jams, honey, candy
• Traditional Sami jewelry and reindeer antler accessories
• Knitwear, beautiful woven textiles

...and so on

Stockholm dogs

Big dogs, little dogs.... 

V.I.A.

Very Important Accessory...  with the cold weather, can't leave home without this in your pocket (tissues)!

The flying hund

Tuesday (Dec. 3) was a very windy day.  I have never seen Lucy's ears flapping in the wind unless she was on a speeding boat!  In the photos she is also (strangely) sitting on her tail... presumably to keep it from flying away.

Emily and Ella's Top 11 List for Stockholm

Before we left Atlanta, Emily said they would visit at Thanksgiving.  Since being here we have come to know that is a very Swedish thing to do... if you suggest a get together or to make plans for something, Swedes will whip out a calendar and schedule it right away (no empty promises!)!  So, Emily and Ella Bennett arrived Friday, November 22 for a four day whirlwind visit of Stockholm.

Care package extraordinaire!

Emily and Ella's Top 11 List...

1.  Gordon and Gabby's smiling faces and the airport.  Gabby and Ella's endless giggles and chatter on the ride home

   

   A wake up call from Lucy

2. Ice Skating! Watching Gabby and Audra skate together, then Audra graduate to skating by herself.
   

   

   Funny little changing huts at Kungstradgarden

   

   Ella warming up

   

   

   I am going to savor this moment!
3. Nancy's cooking and outstanding tour guide service

   

   the itinerary

   
   
   
   
   

   

   City Hall where the Noble Prize dinner will be next week

   
   
   

   

   Dala horse at City Hall

   
   
   
4. Dinner at Paolo and Aldo's with Josefin and Rickard
5. Lanterns and candles outside shops - love that Swedes embrace the dark
6. Sofia directing me the 1 mile through downtown to school
7. Vasa Museet, the Palace and walking the tiny streets of Gamla Stan

   

   Opening of Gamla Stan's Christmas Market

   

   Trying out the merchandise

   

   Christmas shopping

8. Walk around Djurgarden ending with Flickorna Cafe
   
9. Thai restaurant on Nybrogatan with over the top decor and color lights
10. Public transportation and walking everywhere

    

    Always up for an athletic challenge the girls run up a very long, out-of-order escalator... it seemed like a good idea at the bottom!

11. Beautiful sunsets - something about the water and architecture and the glow that time of day (it's the clean air!)

*Unofficial 12.  Garaget/Snickarbacken 7 for coffee after dropping off at school

Okay, so this is at Cafe Saturnus... had to branch out!

*Unofficial 13.  Sitting on the window sill, in the evening, observing the neighborhood (enough to know the guy across the street has red towels and good hygiene habits!)

*Added by Nancy!

Swedish holiday season 101

Must haves....

Advent star, preferably in every window

Advent candles

lots of holiday lights

Tomte = Santa

Glogg (served with almonds and raisins) = mulled wine

pepparkakor = ginger snaps

Jul goat

Also, lussebullar, a saffron bun, served only during the holidays... more on this after the St. Lucia celebration on December 13th!