The first candle is lit. It is calm in house. I'm having the rest of the Christmas porridge and a warm cup of tea. The saffron buns are all gone loooong ago...
I'm reflecting upon the fact that my favorite time of the year is here. The advents chandelier is filled with moss and my crocheted mushrooms. My patchwork Christmas runner has found its place on my kitchen table... First of advent is special for me, this is the time when I feel the closest to my Swedish inheritance. And because of that advent is also special to my children.
I might not be the best of keeping ALL the Swedish traditions alive as an expat married to a man of different nationality, and although my children might not SPEAK Swedish to me anymore, they all listen when I read the Swedish Christmas rhymes and stories and they do hum along in the Christmas songs. And the fact that Luca Bo asked permission to start the Christmas decorations early the other day shows that after all I have given them traditions. He knows when Christmas is "supposed" to start in this home.
I realize I've managed well, although I sometimes doubt my efforts. My children already have the Swedish Christmas traditions in their heart and soul. And our own modified Christmas traditions will continue to live with them. They will all have an advent chandelier on their table when they grow up.I'm sure. My Swedish roots are not all forgotten.
Kärlek
Annette
Annette
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This resonates so well with me. Coming from Norwegian heritage Christmas is also the time I feel closest to Norway and family. We decorate for Advent and the kitchen but every thing else waits for Lille Julaften here. My blog began as I wanted a record of our traditions written down somewhere for our children. So every year I post everyday in December of what we do. Advent blessings to you and yours x
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I do not have Swedish heritage, my family have been making the Swedish paper woven hearts and ribbon stars for years. On Saturday is the annual Swedish Christmas market at the Swedish Church in Melbourne, Australia. Going to this market is the start of my Christmas tradition. I look forward to you showing more of your Christmas traditions.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that you keep your traditions alive, it is very important that the children have these things to look forward to. I will be putting up our christmas tree this coming weekend and my daughter still wants to come over and help even though she is 23 years old and married. We have a christmas album on to listen to which I loved when I was a little girl, it still brings back that warm secure feeling and plenty of memories of my grandparents and parents always being together, even though sadly I only have my mum left now. Hannah loves to get all the little decorations out, bought at different times, all have some sort of meaning for her and we chat together about past times. We have a little drink, some port or similar and exchange christmas cards. It is a wonderful time of year. Hugs Julie
ReplyDeleteOh, Annette - I answered something on your IG as well.
ReplyDeleteI so battled with this after my parents passed away - although it's not strictly "tradition", but with them went so many memories and rituals, and in the end it becomes tradition - that my kids would never know. I was sooo sad about that, until I realised that they will have some of that, through me, in different ways. And their reality is different than mine was, but they will absorb some of my family history, and some of my husband's, and that will become their memories, to which they might cling
:-)
And we're this just very different Afrikaner families in South Africa :-P
You might be surprised by you kids one day, how they will refer back to your beloved traditions, and teach them to their children ;-)
(Oh, and by the way - it is great that you still have those great Swedish traditions. Our own Afrikaner culture is at best a melting pot of so many others - Dutch, German, French, English - that has been diluted along the way)
ReplyDeleteTell us more about that Christmas porridge?
A luz de velas!! Chic. Beijo.Valéria.
ReplyDeleteAs an American I would love to hear more about your Swedish traditions. Our family has it's own, a mix of both of our families traditions.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
What a lovely post :-)
ReplyDeleteAs someone who too has been "transplanted" to another country, I understand very well.
We celebrate 2 Christmases in my house, English one and continental one; Santa comes to my grandchildren on both days, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
Have a wonderful time,
xx
Lovely; you do what you can to preserve the heritage. I don't identify much with mine but I do practice some Chinese New Year prep traditions. I would love to pull from other cultures to decorate our new home. Reading about Jan and her Swedish paper woven hearts and ribbon stars intrigue me. I'd love to do a homemade advent but always forget. My girls don't mind the Trader Joe advent calendars. Now that I plan to slowly start sewing, I hope to create that advent calendar.
ReplyDeleteWe are keeping our German Advent traditions up here at the other end of the world (New Zealand), and our girls (13 and 9) count days leading up to it. This is so important when you are living abroad as it gives them a sense of belonging and identity. Christmas here in NZ is so different (it's summer, to start with, soooo wrong...), and while people make massive efforts with decorating etc., the Christmassy feeling just doesn't come across for us. So we change that. I'll go and bake Christmas cookies now, in the heat... 😊🎄
ReplyDeleteSo nice to read about the memories you are making for the children. Such a good mama. Love you all.
ReplyDeleteTraditions are important, so many forget them. Good to see not all.Enjoy!
ReplyDelete