The Christmas post of 2022.

Since we are still wrapping up the first phase of our home renovation project and our kitchen is not done yet, you’re getting a photo report from Stockholm’s Christmas market in Sweden instead of my longer traditional Christmas post. Here are some limited impressions from the first holiday season in our new home though – I made lavender sachets and some other stuff instead of cookies for the family.

I was recently in Stockholm again for a work conference where I had a presentation about a part of my PhD research, so I took the opportunity to catch up with my Swedish friends and enjoy the Christmas vibes. Believe me, no one does lights and Christmas kitsch as well and as tastefully as Scandinavians, since they spend almost half the year in darkness with very short and cold winter days. Although there usually isn’t that much snow in Stockholm because it’s too close to the ocean, the city is still wonderful and there are all sorts of events and activities you can do during winter.

One of them is the Christmas market at Stortorget in Gamla stan, the historical old town, which is also the oldest in Sweden since 1837. Although it is not as large and fancy as the one in the Skansen open air museum, it is the one where you’ll see a lot of locals along with the tourists and it is held every day from mid-November until 23rd of December, not just during the weekends. So, it is definitely worth a visit for the vibes and to try some of the Swedish Christmas specialities, such as glögg (mulled wine) or julmust (a sort of Christmas cola), lussekatter (sweet saffron pastries honouring St. Lucia), caramels and other sweets, as well as various sausages, crispbreads, pickled herrings, julskinka Christmas ham and julost cheese. You can also browse the stalls full of handicrafts with traditional woollen socks, ceramics and figurines.

Impressions from Stockholm Christmas market

Bonus photo of the Christmas LEGO version of Åhlens, Stockholm’s legendary shopping mall, because it’s pretty enough to be on a Christmas card, and I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

P.S.: Check out also some impressions from the Christmas market in Luleå 2018 and the ridiculous penguin jam below.