The world followed closely as armed rioters stormed the very center of the most powerful democracy in the world – the U.S. Capitol. The horrifying scenes in Washington D.C. served as a reminder to many world leaders how truly fragile democracy can be, even in the United States.
Many took to social media to express their concerns, with Nordic PM’s, presidents, and foreign ministers condemning the actions and reminding the world that democracy must be protected at all costs.
This is what they had to say:
Swedish PM, Stefan Löfven :
Deeply worrying developments in Washington, D.C. This is an assault on democracy. President Trump and several members of Congress bear substantial responsibility for developments. The democratic election process must be respected.
Thursday morning Stefan Lövfen welcomed President-elect Joe Biden:
Democracy in the USA has proven its strength, as Congress has now fulfilled its constitutional role and confirmed the presidential election results. Looking forward to working with President-elect Biden.
Former Swedish PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt:
On this dark dark day for the United States my thoughts are with all friends over there who are witnessing their democracy being attacked, looted and disrupted. And my sincere hope is that the evil man who bears the responsibility ultimately will suffer the consequences.
Ann Linde, the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Deeply concerned by developments in Washington DC. Witnessing an attack on democracy. The democratic process must be respected and order peacefully restored. US democracy is strong. President Trump has responsibility to stand up for the democratic process.
The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide made a statement via the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Twitter profile:
The situation in #WashingtonDC is deeply disturbing and alarming, and an unacceptable attack on democracy. President Trump has a particular responsibility to ensure that the situation comes under control – FM #EriksenSoreidepic.twitter.com/UPWwUDrQ3d
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says: Extremism, violence, polarization, and chaos is never the way forward. Appalling images from Washington. May democracy function again.”
Statsminister Mette Frederiksen udtaler: “Ekstremisme, vold, polarisering og kaos er aldrig vejen frem. Forfærdende billeder fra Washington. Må demokratiet bringes til at virke igen”.
Iceland’s President didn’t directly comment on the storming of Capitol Hill but congratulated President-elect, Joe Biden, on the win and ended his tweet with some old Nordic wisdom.
As Congress confirms election of @JoeBiden, I reiterate my congratulations to the next President of the United States, legally elected by the people. 1000 year old wisdom from Althing, world’s oldest nationwide parliament, still true: If we tear the law apart we tear peace apart.
Gudlaugur Thor, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation of Iceland, said:
Shocking scenes in #WashingtonDC. Any attacks on #democratic institutions and undermining of rule of law should be condemned. Outcome of democratic elections must be respected.
The widely popular Swedish chocolate ball, “Chokladboll”, is an essential part of most fika routines. Of course, finding the chocolate ball here in the United States might be difficult. So why not just make your own? And why not with a healthy twist while you’re at it?
A perfect way to start off your year eating healthier, before you abandon that new year’s resolution entirely for the upcoming semla season.
12 big dates, or 5 oz of Ziyad All Natural Baking Dates
1 1/5 cup of shredded coconut flakes
3 tsp of almond flour
6tsp of cacao
1 tsp of coconut oil
1/2 a cup of coffee
Mix everything but 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut flakes, into a blender, roll into balls and garnish with the remaining coconut flakes (you could also garnish with “pärlsocker”/nib sugar. Put in the fridge for 20-30 min.
Every year, the Swedish Language Council, Språkrådet – a department within Institute of Language and Folklore, publishes a list of new words that have entered the Swedish language and is being actively used by the general public. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the words on the list this year include words related to the pandemic.
Anders Svensson, Editor-in-Chief at Språktidningen says: “Many of these words have been established since long in technical language. During the corona pandemic, a long list of medical terms suddenly became part of the everyday language. That is why they are considered new words for the general public.”
The 2020 list consists of 39 new words, but we saved you the trouble and picked out some of the more exciting ones:
boomer
a middle-aged, or older, person
cancelkultur
activism aimed at depriving people with controversial views of their platforms for expressing those views
coronaanpassa
to take preventive measures to comply with restrictions aimed at minimizing the risk of spreading the coronavirus
coronahälsning
a gesture of greeting that was made popular during the corona pandemic
hobbyepidemiolog
a person, who without expert knowledge in epidemiology, confidently speaks about the corona pandemic
infodemi
the global spreads of harmful rumors
simp
a person who, through flattery, tries to arouse another person’s romantic or sexual interest
novent
Christmas preperations and Advent-like celebrations in November
superspridare
a person who spreads a disease to a large number of people
turistkorridor
an agreement that enables holiday travel between countries where the spread of infection are at low levels
Zoombombning
intrusion by uninvited participants in a meeting held through the video conferencing service Zoom
2020 is coming to an end, and with only a few days left of the year, we at Swedes in the States are slowly closing this chapter, and looking forward to the new year. But before we move ahead with all the exciting things we have in store for you in 2021, let’s take a look at some of your favorite articles from 2020.
The list is in no particular order, and interviews have been excluded from the list.
At Swedes in the States, we get a large number of requests for Scandinavian language classes. And although we personally would love to share our vast knowledge in our native language, we just feel like it’s better left to the professionals. That is why we are so excited to partner up with the expert of experts in teaching the Swedish language – Ingrid Kullberg – Benz
If you have no idea what to get your Scandi-loving friend, relative or even your partner, who honestly by now should know better Swedish, then this is the perfect gift!
About your teacher: Ingrid Kullberg- Benz
Ingrid is an adjunct Swedish instructor at the New York University SPS while teaching Swedish at the Swedish Church in New York, ABC languages and The Dwight School in New York City. Her previous experience includes teaching Swedish at Listen & Learn Language School.
Her long list of achievements and bringing Swedish to the United States doesn’t stop there. Ingrid was also a part of developing the Swedish version of the popular language learning software, Rosetta Stone. She has also given lectures at the prestigious Columbia University on Swedish dialects.
With 20 years of experience teaching and tutoring adults and children in both a private, corporate, and school setting, we are so excited to be partnering up with Ingrid to offer you a discount on online Swedish classes behind door #22 in our Scandinavian Christmas Calendar.
Christmas Calendar Prices:
35% off Swedish Private Lesson, 60 min – $ 71.5 (normal price $110) 40% off Swedish Private Lesson, 60 min x 5 – $330 (normal price $550)
In a turn of events, Sweden has decided to enforce some strict regulations in an attempt to slow the spread of Covid-19. More specifically, feared mutations of the virus.
According to Mikael Damberg, Minister of Internal Affairs in Sweden, the UK is the country that has been the hardest hit by the new virus mutation. At a press meeting earlier today he said: “Reports indicate that it [the virusmutation] spreads, if even possible, faster than the previous one. To minimize the risk of the new virus spreading here, the government has decided to enforce an entry ban from the U.K.”
The ban will also include anyone traveling from Denmark, where the virus mutation was previously detected at Danish mink farms earlier this fall. It was after the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC, released a report stating that new SARS-CoV-2 variants have been linked to mink farms that the Danish government ordered the annihilation of about 15 million minks countrywide.
Denmark has seen a surge in virus infections and has therefore closed down shopping malls throughout the country which leaves the Swedish government in fear of Danes crossing the border in to Sweden for Christmas shopping or to escape restrictions.
Christmas is right around the corner, and for those who celebrate Christmas, preparations are in full swing. If you are celebrating with Scandinavians this year or simply just want some Christmas inspiration from the North, look no further.
Celebrating on the 24th of December
Although some Christmas traditions differ between Sweden, Norway, and Denmark – all three Scandinavian countries celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December. Their Nordic neighbor Finland also celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve.
So why do the Nordic countries celebrate Christmas a day earlier than most other countries?
It is, in fact, a part of the Nordic culture to celebrate most holidays on the eve of. The reason for this is the way the Nordic countries used to measure time and dates. Based on ancient ways of counting time, a day would typically start after sundown. More specifically at 6 pm, according to the Swedish Church.
Christmas shows
This is holy to the Scandinavians. You do not mess with a Swedes Kalle Anka’s Jul or a Norwegians Flåklypa Grand Prix or Tre Nøtter til Askepott.
Why you ask?
This is a tradition that is so dear to their hearts because that is when the family gathers together in the living room to watch the same movie or show as last year, and the year before that. You get the point. This is an annual tradition that is the quintessence of hygge/ mysa /koseligt, and it is one that many have kept up with throughout their life.
Julbord
The Danes really like their pork, so the majority of their Christmas table will consist of that, so-called Flæskesteg. If they are really hungry, you might even find duck on the table. But comparing to their neighbours in the north, the Danish Christmas table might seem small. The Norwegians and Swedes do not hold back when it comes to food.
If you’re celebrating Christmas at a Swedish, non-vegetarian household, expect a Christmas ham, lamb, meatballs (no surprise there), small sausages, potatoes, Janssons frestelse, pickled herring (of course), smoked salmon, bread and cheese, and the list goes on… Of course, there will be schnapps, wine, and beer aplenty.
The best part about the amount of food is, your Swedish hosts won’t expect all the food to be finished. No, they have made enough food to last for days. There is a 95% chance that you will see a Swede the morning after Christmas, slapping on a slice of the Christmas ham on hard bread and topping it with mustard for breakfast.
Lucia
Lucia is one of the most beautiful holidays in Scandinavia and is particularly celebrated in Sweden. Because of the darkness in the North during this time of year, a day that celebrates light and hope is also a holiday considered one of the most important.
It is believed that the Scandinavian Lucia instead is a mix of both a Nordic pagan light of god and Saint Lucia.
Dating as far back as the early 1300s, most likely longer than that, the winter solstice has been celebrated in Scandinavia. It was considered the longest night of the year, filled with dangers and the supernatural. Because of this, the medieval Scandinavians decided it would be better to stay up all night. This is what Swedes today call — Lussevaka — although few would probably stay up all night today.
On the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, the Scandinavians celebrate Advent. Every Sunday, one of four candles are lit. Every Sunday, and candle, representing a main event in Jesus’s life.
Read more about why Swede’s celebrate Advent below.
Even though this isn’t as much of a thing in Sweden anymore, Denmark still holds on to the sweet tradition of dancing or walking around the tree while singing Christmas songs.
If you are celebrating a Danish Christmas, expect joining hands with your friends or family, while getting your move on around the tree. Bonus points to anyone who gets danish pronunciation right!
Little Christmas
The Norwegians start Christmas early!
In Norway, the 23rd of December is called “Little Christmas”. This is when they all get together to cook, bake, and prepare for the coming Christmas celebrations. This is when they will typically make their pinnekjøtt, rømmegrøt, and many other dishes, followed by a number of different cakes and cookies. Because you know how the Scandi’s love their desserts.
This is also where some start dressing their Christmas tree, and hide all the brooms in the house.
According to Norwegian folktales, Christmas coincides with the arrival of evil spirits. Therefore, on little Christmas, the Norwegians will hide all the brooms in their house. You know, to keep the witches from flying places.
The Christmas Goat
The Christmas Goat is a rather overlooked tradition and symbol that pays homage to our pagan and ancient traditions from the Viking era. The goat has a steady place as Christmas decor in the Nordic countries because it was a loyal companion to the pagan god, Thor, who would have his chariot pulled across the sky by a pair of goats.
The most famous Christmas goat can be found in Gävle, Sweden.
Editor’s note:As a part of our Christmas Calendar, Landet Studio is offering 30% off their products at The Nordic Collective with the code ‘swedesinthestates’. It’s the perfect way to support a small business while discovering a new brand we promise you will fall in love with.
In 2009, Jessica Koenig landed in Brooklyn, New York. What was supposed to be a short stay turned into the love story many Scandinavians in the United States can relate to so well: She met her future husband in New York City and thus began her American adventure.
Originally from Avesta, a small town in Dalarna in Sweden, Jessica made her way to Los Angeles and finally settled in Portland, where she decided to launch Landet Studio.
Her candles and soaps, inspired by the Scandinavian landscapes, towns, and nature, quickly caught on to the Scandinavian market in the United States. All Landet Studio’s products are made in-house by Jessica herself and the hand-made batches are small to ensure the highest quality and freshly made products.
The editorial team at Swedes in the States fell head over heels in love with Landet Studio, enough to feature all their products on Swedes in the State’s very own e-commerce, The Nordic Collective. We decided to find out more about Jessica’s story and her work with Landet Studio.
Tell us about how your story from Sweden to the United States?
After attending college in Gothenburg, I moved to London while working in fashion retail for a few years. I later moved to Stockholm where I worked as an accountant but missed London and decided to move back, but to first take a detour to experience New York. Pretty soon after getting there, I met my husband (to be), moved to L.A. to live with him, and after having our second child we moved up to Portland, OR where we are today.
How were you inspired to start Landet Studio?
My husband does screen printing, and right around when we first met I drew a print with polar bears saying I Love You in Swedish, jag älskar dig, which turned out to be pretty popular. I started selling my shirts on Etsy while staying home with the kids when they were babies. I got such great feedback on the shirts and got connected with the American-Swedish community here which inspired me to start Landet Studio.
I love creating and during the years of staying home with the kids I really got a chance to explore what I wanted to do and in which direction I wanted to go. I have also kept doing local markets and shows year after year and it’s such a fun way of selling your goods directly to customers and chat with people.
Do you source the ingredients and create all the products yourself?
Yes. I get my candle and soap supplies mostly locally and make everything in my basement studio. Everything is made, packed, and shipped out by me. I like to make fairly small batches of everything to ensure an even and high quality. I work with a fantastic French Canadian graphic designer to develop my packaging and she has been really amazing at helping me visualize everything exactly how I intend it to look.
Are your candles inspired by your favorite places in Scandinavia? Do you have a personal connection with each one of them?
They are! The candles especially are inspired by specific places around Scandinavia that I like and I tried and tested quite a bit to make scents that match the vibe of those places. Bergslagen – the amber & oakmoss candle for example is the mining region where I grew up. The soaps are inspired by the nature of mainly Sweden, something that I miss dearly.
What is your vision for Landet Studio? Will you be expanding the product range?
This year I added 3 new candle scents, and I just released 4 oz travel tins as a candle option now in time for the holidays. I am really happy with the new candle scents, and my vision for the places I wanted to add and their style of scent to go with that place it took a lot of trial and error to develop them before I found the right mix of scents. I rather have a fairly small product line where I feel equally excited about all products rather than add too many too fast.
2020 has been a challenging year for sure and all my markets and shows have been canceled and wholesale has been pretty slow from retailers having to temporarily close their stores. I really appreciate all those who shop small in these times and I can’t wait to get back to do shows and markets and meet my customers in person again.
Editor’s note:As a part of our Christmas Calendar, Landet Studio is offering 30% off their products at The Nordic Collective with the code ‘swedesinthestates’. It’s the perfect way to support a small business while discovering a new brand we promise you will fall in love with.
Gävlebocken has become a well-known and widely discussed phenomenon, but not for the reason you might think. It is not because of its size, or because of how it represents the beginning of the countdown to Christmas. No, Gävlebocken is in fact primarily associated with vandalism.
Gävlebocken has an interesting, and violent, history. It all began in 1966 when advertising consultant Stig Galvén came up with the idea of placing a 43 ft tall version of the traditional Swedish yule goat on Slottstorget in the city of Gävle to mark the first Sunday of Advent.
On New Year’s Eve in 1966, the first Gävlebock was set on fire and burned down. Throughout its 50 years long history, it has burned down, been crashed into, or in other ways destroyed more than 35 times. The uncertainty of the fate of the Gävlebock brings it significant attention every year and has led to its annual inauguration becoming a well-attended event. This year, in addition to the thousands of spectators that are expected to attend, the inauguration will be celebrated with appearances and performances by several famous Swedish comedians, musicians, and other celebrities.
Given Gävlebockens history of destruction, its display warrants a high degree of security. According to Maria Wallberg, representative of Gävle municipality, the goat is protected by fences, guards, and security cameras 24 hours a day every day in order to deter potential vandals. ”Because of security reasons, we don’t want to go into details,” Wallberg said to Aftonbladet.
Wallberg says that the giant straw goat plays an important role in the city’s tourism around the holiday season. Hotels and restaurants in Gävle rely on Gävlebocken to bring them a stream of customers, as people travel from all over Sweden to see the famed goat in person. Therefore, local businesses would much prefer it to remain standing.
Brand expert Eva Ossiansson agrees that Gävlebocken is important to strengthen the city’s brand and increase its recognizability. When people think of Gävle, Gävlebocken is one of the first things that comes to mind for many, especially in wintertime. ”It garners a lot of attention and becomes a yearly phenomenon to talk about; when will it burn down, how will it burn, and will it make it,” Ossiansson explained to Aftonbladet.
When asked whether she thinks other cities would like to have something similar to set them apart from other Swedish cities, Eva Ossiansson says that attempts have been made before. She mentions Borås’ Pinocchio as an example, but she also mentions that none of these attempts have been equally successful as they do not garner the amount of publicity that Gävlebocken does due to being under a constant threat of destruction.
This article was first published on December 4, 2018.
Are you one of those people that queue up Love Actually and Home Alone before November has even really begun? You’re not alone.
A Netflix survey shows that viewers in Scandinavians are among the first to start watching Christmas movies — as early as November 14 for Sweden who snags 11th place on the list of which countries watches the most holiday movies. Even though Swedes start getting into the holiday spirit months in advance, they find themselves beat by neighboring countries Norway (7th place) and Denmark (8th place), when it comes to hours spent watching holiday movies.
Considering how early Christmas music and decorations lines stores and homes all around America, I guess no one is surprised that the U.S. grabs 10th place.
Seen globally, the day that most countries watch holiday movies is, unsurprisingly, Christmas Eve. However, that is not the case for Swedes: the most popular day to watch Christmas movies in Sweden is, for some unknown reason, 25 November, according to a Netflix press release.
Find the full list here:
1. Canada 2. The Netherlands 3. Portugal 4. UK 5. Ireland 6. Belgium 7. Norway 8. Denmark 9. France 10. USA 11. Sweden
When you do start watching holiday movies? Let us know in the comments!
The original article was first published on December 2, 2018, but has since been edited.
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