Christmas in Sweden

Swedish Christmas

In Sweden, with their Lutheran tradition, the celebration begins with the Advent. The lighting of each Sunday candle on the advent wreath readies the heart for wonderful Christmas festivities. With the Saint Lucia ceremony, on December 13, the season begins in earnest in Sweden: the youngest daughter puts on a white robe with a red sash and wears a crown of evergreens with tall-lighted candles attached to it ( the candles on the crowns are now electric ). She awakens her parents, followed by the other children of the family including “star boys”, stjarngossar, in long white shirts, pointed hats, carrying star wands, and serving them coffee and “Lucia buns”.

Lucia symbolizes light and growth as she emerges out of the darkness

Lucia Buns

preheat oven to 375F

1/2 t. dried saffron
3 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup scalded milk
1 egg
1/2 cup dried candied fruit rinds
1/2 cup currants
4 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup raisins
1 egg yolk

Soak the dried saffron in the boiling water for about 2 hours (you can omit this step by using powdered saffron). In a large warm bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water with 1 teaspoon sugar. Put remaining sugar, salt and butter into the scalded milk and stir until everything is melted. Strain the saffron and add the saffron water to the mixture.Cool milk to lukewarm and pour it into the bowl. Beat the egg into it. Coat the currents and candied fruit rinds with 2 tablespoons flour. Gradually work the remaining flour into the yeast. Add fruits; turn out onto a floured board and kneed for 10 minutes or until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough in a butter bowl and roll it around to grease well. Cover with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 – 1 1/2 hours). Punch down and put onto the board and kneed a few times.To plait the wreath: Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and roll them out into 24″ long rolls. Start plaiting from the middle,alternately putting the right and left roll over the middle roll. Finish the other half alternately putting the right and left roll under the middle roll. Tuck in the ends and let rise. Brush with whisked egg before putting them in the oven, then place on greased cookie sheet and let rise for 1/2 hour. Bake in a preheated 375F for 15-20 minutes for wreaths.

===========

Christmas trees are set up two days before Christmas and decorated with candles, apples, straw ornaments, Swedish flags. The height of the celebration is Christmas Eve and mothers light the candles on Christmas Eve.Traditional Christmas Eve dinner is the smÃ¶rgÃ¥sbord. Ham, lutfisk, and rice pudding, here is a link to assemble your own buffet.

Make your own Swedish straw ornaments, Swedish hearts. Speak of the love of God and how it intertwines our hearts at Christmastime.

Instructions for a “Juldocka” ornament:

wheat can usually be purchased at your local crafts store.
Hollow wheat straw is the easiest to work with.
Dry straw must be soaked flat in cold water for about 15 minutes, and then stood upright to drain before plaiting.
The Five-Straw Plait is the easiest to work with for a beginner:

1. Tie 5 straws together close to the ears.

2-5. Each time the straw being folded passes over two corners, it is then left and the one at the last corner is picked up and used in its place until the round is completed.

The attractive spiral pattern grows as round succeeds round.

6. When completed, the ends are tied to the starting point below the ears, making a decorative circle.

To feed in new straws, cut the old straw off after it has passed the second straw. The thin end of the new straw is inserted in the hole, making sure of a firm fit which is hidden under the fold of the straw of the next round.

Simple corn dollies can also be made with the standard three-straw plait.

~from Harvest Lore