End of term assembly

On Thursday, December 19, from 11-noon, Stockholm International School held it's end of term assembly at the big, red brick Johannes Church across from the school.  All grades, from preschool through grade 12, attended the assembly along with parents and relatives. We were greeted by the primary and secondary school principals and the SIS director as well as the Johannes Church priest.  Primary, junior, senior and PTA choirs performed as well as the enrichment and after school musical groups.  The songs and music were wonderful as well as the positive messages from the school leaders.  Now, maybe, we'll get a break from Sofia singing 'Jingle Bell Rock' and 'Merry Christmas Everyone' constantly!

It was also wonderful to see the inside of this beautiful church after admiring the outside for the past 4 months.

Julbord at Ulla Winblahd on Djurgarden

On Tuesday, December 10th, a group of SIS PTA members got together to enjoy a Julbord at Ulla Winblahd on Djurgarden.  This restaurant is much smaller with a more traditional atmosphere than the Tyrol Julbord.  The meal itself followed the traditional formula of many courses starting with cold fish dishes, then meats and finally the desserts. 

fish...

fish...

more fish

meats...

 

 

desserts!

a kindred soul!

Tyrol Julbord

Julbord is a big tradition in Sweden and basically a big Christmas meal.   Jul = Yule or Christmas and bord = table.  The meal is usually eaten in several courses starting with more variations of cold fish dishes than you can imagine consisting of herring, salmon, etc.  Other courses include salads, potatoes, meats definitely including ham, meatballs, sausage, salami made with beef, elk, wild boar, etc.  Thank goodness bread and cheese is also served.  Dessert is an unbelievable variety of tortes and candies, a reward for making it through the other courses.

Today (Saturday, December 21) we went to Tyrol at Grona Lund.  The outside was decorated with an abundance of evergreens, lights and traditional Sami (indigenous people in Scandinavia) huts.  The interior is a large theater with long buffet tables, seating on many levels and very festive Christmas decor.

God Jul = Good Yule/Merry Christmas

Margee and Wayne

Smoking salmon inside this hut

this guy is the reason Gabby could not eat...

a very small section of the cold fish smorgasborg

Christmas lights around Stockholm

Gamla Stan Christmas tree... tree branches stuck into a large wooden frame

Skansen Christmas market

Skansen's Christmas market is only open Saturdays and Sundays the four weekends before Christmas.  The only downside to this market is paying for the entrance to Skansen, but it's worth it because you have access to all of Skansen and they have a lot going on.  Everything at Skansen is outside with fire pots everywhere to warm up and a lot of space so it never feels too crowded.

After polishing off three charcoal buns (see below) between the five of us and some chicken soup we were too full to try the flat bread cones filled with elk meat and potatoes (ok, Gordon would have been the only one to eat that!).  They did look really good though!

Singing and dancing around the Christmas tree, everyone gets into it!

beautiful woven scarves and socks

....like selling snow to an Eskimo?!

jul (yule) goat

chicken soup to warm up

warming up by the fire pot

My favorite Swedish food so far!  The girls loved it too.  Cannot believe we never ran across this idea in all our years of camping!

Cranking out the charcoal buns... always had a big line of customers

what's not to love...  fried bacon and batter.

Topped with lingonberry jam

on the tram on the way home... couldn't help but think of the Knight bus from Harry Potter