LET THE HOLIDAY CHEER BEGIN....

         The official start to the holiday season is today...or so I would like to proclaim. We have been attending the Swedish womens education association Christmas festival for many years now. It starts like this, with the ladies coming outside to greet and welcome everyone into the building. They dance in a circle and sing a song. It is pretty enchanting. We go inside, and this is what we find... Swedish handcrafts of all kinds, including these rag rugs, which are all over my house because I have an addiction to them. They are bright and friendly looking and wash beautifully. They are hand made out of natural cotton. This is the huge one that I bought this year. I would like to redecorate our bedroom in these soothing shades of blue and cream and will use this as a starting point. We also bought, these Swedish trolls, or tomtes, which is a collection that my husband started many years ago. He added two new ones to his collection today,and  I finally bought a female to add to the group. There is always an amazing smorgasboard of food to eat in the cafe, including waffles with lingonberries and whipped cream, Princess cake, and openface sandwiches that look like little jewels. All so pretty and delicious. There are always imported Swedish foods to bring home. The Glogg is a spicy, fragrant mix that you warm with wine and aquavit  and we usually enjoy this for Christmas. There are cheeses and cakes and the traditional flat bread to bring home as well. The flat bread, or hardtack is a staple that my husbands grandmother used to keep in her house, and he likes to have it around our kitchen too. This was the first year that we went alone. Oldest daughter now married, middle daughter visiting colleges this weekend, and son being a regular teenage boy, wanted to sleep in. We were joking about hi-jacking my niece who is ten and might still enjoy this sort of thing. I may have to do that next year. This festival always gets me in the mood for holiday cheer.

Yesterday, I pulled the name of the winner of the big give away. Drum roll please....... and the winner is...Laume. Now, I do not have a link to your website, blog, or email. so could you kindly send my your full name and address? Thank you.

           We also went for a ride yesterday and came upon what I will now be calling one of my ten most happiest places on earth. I needed red velvet ribbon to finish a project that I am working on. We went to a shop called, Stitch n' sew centre in Lakewood, NJ. I have been to fabric stores up and down the eastern seaboard, and I have never seen a shop like this. Next time I go, I will bring my camera with me.....I walked in the door and was instantly overwhelmed. There were so many choices. I could have spent hours. We did not have hours, so I first went to find that red velvet ribbon...the ribbons were gorgeous and it was the first time that I was introduced to double sided velvet. This is what I brought home.... the unbelievably adorable, retro fabric with the little angel and deer, the ribbon, and this red riding hood fabric that I am thinking might be an apron or Christmas stocking. The candles are advent candles that you start to light on December first and relight every night till they burn to the next number until Christmas eve. One last picture... a few weeks ago, when I was at a yard sale, I came across this sock monkey, which I fully intended to sell on ebay...Yesterday, I stopped at a church rummage sale and picked up lambchop. For 50 cents, I could not resist and I thought I would add him to a gift. Well, they have gotten together on top of my dresser and told me how cute they look together and wouldn't it  be nice if I decorated around them. Hmmmm, can't you just see some Poinsettia behind them in a holiday vingette? 

Comments

[suzy]

Wow! I have never, ever been to a swedish festival. I think I am really missing out on something. That food looks so delicious! And I can't wait to hear more about that fabric store in Lakewood. Sock monkey & Lambchop look like a pair! xo, suzy

[sherscreativeexpressions]

Susan, the Swedish Festival looks like it would be so much fun to attend.

I absolutely LOVE that little Lamb Chop. Reminds me of great childhood memories and Cheri Lewis.

Blessings,

Sher

[Kari]

Sounds like an awesome festival! I love that retro fabric you found. Happy Thanksgiving!

[Laura]

I love LINGONBERRIES! This is great post...Hardtack was a staple when I was growing up.

[susan]

The festival looked great, need to attend one sometime.

Have to agree, Stitch N Sew is a happy place!

[Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)]

Hello Susan! Wow, what a terrific blog you have! I've really enjoyed my time wandering around getting to know you. I just wanted to pop over, say hi, and thank you for visiting my blog and leaving such a lovely comment. I really do appreciate you taking the time to do that. Is it ok if I add you to my blog roll? I look forward to seeing you again soon. Have a wonderful day!
Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

[Elizabeth Holcombe]

Oh WOW!~~~I want to go to that Swedish celebration! The closest I'll ever get to Sweden is by going to IKEA. Love your pics! I NEED to go to that fabric store--Yummy!~~~Happy Thanksgiving!~~~XXOO, Beth

[Dena]

I am drooling over all of that yummy food and now I simply have to try some Glogg...I've never had it before but it sounds really good! What a fun place to go!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Hugs,
Dena

[emicat]

That looks like a lot of fun and the food looks so yummy! Those cotton rugs look very nice. Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos :)

[Carola]

Hey, I loved stumbling across this post! Seeing that Sweden is appreciated abroad is a lot of fun!

And yes, I live in Sweden :)

[Laume]

I won something!? Really! Oh man, that's what I get for taking so long between visits. I thought my name links to my blog - hmmm, maybe not on every person's site.

Lambchops - I soooo loved Shari Lewis and Lambchops when I was a kid. And also Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans. Do you remember how Moose would drop the ping pong balls!?

It's hard to adjust to no kids to take along, isn't it. Hubby and I were watching the Shrek the Hall special the other night on television and we pleaded with our last teen to come watch it with us. Please, we need a kid to watch with us! we cried. Our begging fell on deaf ears - the teen boy was in the middle of a video football game. Sigh.