Oh the Places You'll Go...: I'll be home for Christmas

Christmas came and went, this year is going by entirely too fast!! In any case, my Christmas was most memorable and most Swedish. We started the celebrations at my aunt's sister Veronica's house for "Lille Julafton." It's the Christmas eve before Christmas eve. We arrived there in the afternoon in time for typical Swedish fika and lots of family. Like any gathering in this family, we all sat around the table with plenty of conversation and laughter flowing, cup of coffee after cup of coffee poured, Julmust sucked dry, and too many Swedish treats to choose from. Dinner came a little later complete with the essentials for a Julbord and dessert was complete with homemade cookies by none other than myself, Martina, and Emma. Meltaways, which, like their name, completely meltaway in your mouth and are to die for. With a hint of peppermint, they are fresh and light (despite all the butter that is used to make them....details not worth mentioning). Jul games were paired with efterrätt and the warmth of family scooped you up like the big comforting hugs of a grandpa. Christmas spirit was crescendoing up to Julafton and the magic of the day to come. But you know what? Even though Christmas itself is over, it's really not over. Not yet at least. It's not even New Year's yet! Christmas trees are still up lights are still lit, stars still hang in the windows, and adventsljusstake light up every window in the city. It's Christmas here until Epiphany, yet tomorrow I go home to 76 degrees and sunny, and probably many Christmas trees sadly abandoned on the street corner as a symbol that the season of warmth and love, family and giving, and of course, the coming of Christ has come to a halting stop. But in our house, Christmas lives on, at least until after New Year's, come into our doors and the overwhelming warmth of the season fits you like a cozy, snuggly sweater. Glögg on the stove, candles lit, trees up, tomtar out, and Christmas music still playing. It doesn't have to end so soon.

On a happier note, my Christmas here was more than well spent! Julafton was started with lunch at my aunt's parents house with typical Swedish lutefisk (schnitzel for those of us who don't like lutefisk!), this was followed by a glögg fika with coffee to follow, pepparkakor, swedish cheese cake, and plenty of chocolate (Paradis...typical. The ones Babi brought to us all the time, remember?). During fika, Sweden shut down at 3pm went Kalle Anka started....like Avery said "Sweden shuts down when Kalle Anka comes to town!" Kalle Anka has been on at 3pm on Julafton every year for the past 50 or so years, with cartoon clips of many Disney films or morning cartoons we all love. It's on for an hour, and during that hour, the entire family is snuggled up in front of the TV singing along to the songs, reciting the lines, and announcing their favorite clip is next. Every year, it never fails, at 3pm. After Kalle Anka, by this time it's dark at 4pm, the "tomte" came and delivered our presents in two, heaping, overflowing sacks. When you come to this family, they don't treat you just like a guest, they treat you like family, and I received gifts as if I was one of the grandchildren. I couldn't believe the overflowing love and warmth I was showered with both on Christmas and during my entire time spent here. Yes, I am a blood cousin to the girls, but by no means did I ever expect to receive such acceptance into the family as one of their own. Today I was reminded of this yet again for my last dinner at my aunt's parents house. Three hours of eating, laughing, and conversation around the table. Much was the same around the Christmas table, however, it was also accompanied with schnapps. Lots of schnapps. And songs sung with your schnapps in the air and Christina's dad continually saying to me "this one is bottom's up Linnea." I didn't keep count. But with a julbord, there is so much food, and you sit around the table for so long, that it ends up to be somewhat insignificant. I will post pictures of the Julbord, of course. Miriam works for weeks starting with shopping and then beginning the cooking and somehow, she always manages to get the food out and ready and hot all at the same time. It's some kind of magic she's got, it's accompanied by this radiance that is constantly glowing. She kind and genuine and always happy to see us greeting us with open arms and the warmest of hugs. Although we don't speak much of the same language, somehow we manage to communicate. She always begins the meal with our "ok" to start by saying "så, varsagoda" and of course, she always goes last. She's a mormor.

Anyway, dinner. I mean, I think Sweden is my heaven. Actually, I am sure of it. I told the girls I dislike Sweden because I love it too much. I want to buy everything in the stores for Christmas of course (other things too, like postcards with illustrations from books we had as a kid from Babi or Christina, or striped clothes, or smart Swedish design, smör knivar.....the list goes on) and the food. Oh let's not get started about that. Pepparkakor, ballerina, päron anything (saft, glass, milkshake, marmelad....), knäcke, soooooo much cheese like präst, herregård, svamp ost, ect., kiviks juice, JULMUST, LOKA, chocolate.....I told Martina I just want to pack Sweden into a bag. So therefore we have a love/hate relationship. Back to the julbord. OF COURSE there were meatballs, probably some of the best's I've had I must say (although Mamma's are still tip top), jul skinka ham, cheese, cheese, cheese (with kumin!), bröd, bröd, bröd, Johnsson's frestelse, pork ribs, sil, korv, prins korv, and my favorite....the kantarell omelet (one of the best things I have ever tasted). Oooooh it was heaven. Julmust was flowing out of my ears with the occassional schnapps and sip of Jul öl. It really doesn't get much better. It was delicious....jätte gott. Great food, a full table of happy family, beaming grandparents, and satisfied, plump stomachs. Laughing by a candlelit klad table in the winter garden and Swedish Christmas music softly singing in the background. I couldn't say I have been much happier. I had to stop myself and make a mental note of the evening as if to come back to it later and say to myself "remember that moment when you were so content?" I did this again tonight. This is why I love Christmas. It's so twinkly and cozy with candles, Christmas tree lights, cold winter air outside, and warm bodies of gathered family members inside. Cozy socks, warm sweater, flannel pajamas, and my favorite....snuggling on the couch with Emma while watching the best of Christmas movies. The Holiday and The Family Stone. Christmas dinner was followed by a generations old Swedish game in which you shoot a small marble with a wooden stick on a board strategically to have the ball land in slot to collect points. It was just a wooden board and marbles, and the entire family was happily playing around the table. Grötris ended the night and we were high on life with full stomachs and bodies filled with that magical feeling on Christmas.

Now I write at the dark table, with the soft glow of the julstjärna in the window, the scent of spiced oranges wafting towards me, and the twinkle of the Christmas tree by my side. It's my last night in Sweden, and I leave tomorrow morning for the states. The semester I dreamt up since I was a child is over for now. I know I will be back, at least by summer 2013 if not before, or perhaps the girls will come to us next summer. We have to make up for all the time we didn't get to see each other as kids. We've made a pact. I'll be back someday for a longer stay in Sweden, this I am sure of. 6 months is no where near enough, perhaps two years of graduate study will feel less hasty, and well, you never know, maybe I'll just end up here with that "Swedish man" everyone was so sure I would find. Or perhaps Sweden itself will get a strong enough hold on me to never let go. We'll see. Tonight, my heart aches with the sadness of leaving not only a place I have learned to call home, but the place where my cousins live, my father grew up, and my mother's family came from. We've got strong roots here. It's more like moving away from home than coming back from my study abroad semester. Tomorrow will be a teary-eyed, heartfelt goodbye in hopes to see each other soon. Goodbyes are not my forté.

And now for the pictures: