Top Sju

13

Lucia Day is celebrated

on December 13. Schools and workplaces in Sweden are preparing to celebrate the old tradition. Children and adults alike honor the Sicilian Saint and the light she brings by singing songs and passing out saffron buns and ginger snaps. A modern Lucia train includes a Lucia dressed in a white gown with a red ribbon around her waist and a wreath with lit candles in her hair. She is followed by hand maidens (tärnor), star boys (stjärngossar), Christmas elves (tomtar) and Gingerbread men (pepparkaksgubbar).

11

Businessman, hotel and property developer Petter

Stordalen has been given the great honor of designing a suite at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi in northern Sweden. Together with Ice Hotel’s creative director Luca Roncoroni, Stordalen will create an art suite of ice and snow. What the art suite will look like is a secret for now, but the design is ready and the building of the suite will begin shortly. The hotel will be open for guests on December 11.

Royal Swedish Opera. Photo © Kungliga Operan/Markus Gårder

1920

Swedish Television’s 2020 Christmas calendar Mirakel premieres on Swedish Television SVT

on December 1. In Mirakel, two girls Mira (Sarah Rhodin) and Rakel (Bibi Lenhoff) living a hundred years apart change bodies and travel in time. Mira in Rakel’s body is faced with handling life as a wellbehaved girl in 1920, while Rakel is shocked when confronted with modern times. Additional actors include comedians Johan Glans and Babben Larsson. Screenwriters are Peter Arrhenius, Sara Young and Fredrik Agetoft. Calle Åstrand directs.

3

Leksands Knäckebröd,

a Swedish family business that bakes crispbread, has released three Christmas crispbreads this year. Enjoy the classic rectangle-shaped “Årets julknäcke” flavored with kale and all-spice (kryddpeppar), or Leksand’s traditional round “Julknäcke”. Also available this season is Leksands Tre Kullor “Tunnknäcke” with Christmas spices and wort (vört).

2020

Nordic plant company Plantagen recently released its seasonal report of the trendiest plants and flowers this Christmas.

Plantagen’s report showed that classic poinsettias remain a favorite. However, many Christmas flowers, including poinsettias and amaryllis, are becoming popular in non-traditional colors, such as white and orange instead of classic red. Bringing nature such as plants and flowers into your home is popular, as is decorating with wreaths. Plantagen’s report showed that people like to invest in sustainable and certified (“kravmärkt”) Christmas trees. Also fashionable are juniper bushes, cypresses or cactuses as an alternative to the traditional tree. Finish by decorating your Christmas tree with plants and flowers.

31

Welcome the new year with a New Year’s concert

on the Royal Swedish Opera’s big stage in Stockholm on December 31. Participants include some of Sweden’s most talented soloists, singers from the Royal Opera Choir and students from the Stockholm University of the Arts. Enjoy works such as Habanera from Carmen and Rosina’s Cavatina from The Barber of Seville. Sian Edwards conducts. The Royal Swedish Opera currently welcomes an audience limited to a maximum of 50 people.

90

Good news! Despite the ongoing pandemic, Sweden’s annual long-distance crosscountry ski race “Vasaloppet” is going to take place. Elite skiers, as well as thousands of amateur skiers, will compete in the 90-kilometer -long race between Sälen and Mora in March next year. Organizers are following safety guidelines, and numerous precautionary measures are in place.