We realise things have been a bit quiet here on the blogging front. It happens. But we are hoping to make ammends over the next few days ... or 24 days to be exact!
I have been inspired by this luxe advent calendar we picked up at the Body Shop. I love the excitement of wondering what is behind each door, and having a little treat each day in December! Now, I can't say it will be as good as my Body Shop advent calendar, but we will have a little blog offering of our own: a photo a day and, at very least, a descriptive caption to go with! Yes, Swedish-murmurings will be back in business for the month of December, trying to catch up on many of the events we have missed over the last few months!
So, to start us off, I shall offer a photo from our start to the advent season: julkakor aplenty!
Last weekend, to celebrate the first Sunday in Advent and the official opening of the Gävle goat (read more here), we threw a little open-house party, complete with glögg (think mulled and fortified wine) and Christmas cookies aplenty!
This pic shows the efforts of multiple cooks from multiple lands... from top centre (going clockwise): * Swedish pepparkakor (recipe from my co-worker Per - it came from his grandmother - these were baked with our friends Becca and David, and Anna and Magnus)
* florentiner (made by Richard and his mum in early November (and we didn't eat them all in advance!), my mum's Christmas cake (made in July and sent home with us!)
* shortbreads (my gran's recipe - they don't get much better)
* chocolate sandwich cookes (again, Richard and Eva's doing)
* German stollen bread (the only non home-made item, but something I buy every year and love all the same - this one came from Hötorgets hällen in Stockholm)
* chocolate-ginger snaps (made by me and Divya)
* mint Nanaimo bars (a Nicholls tradition - from the 1978 Canadian Living Christmas Cookie magazine).
At the peak, I think we had 35 people crammed in our little apartment, but after having been soaked in the rain storm that accompanied the fireworks to celebrate the goat, it was probably for the best that we were a bit cosy inside!
Funny how last year it was 30 degrees colder ... and this year, rainboots and brollies were the proper attire.
While Richard lacked such acoutrements, he had fortunately embraced the movember spirit and had grown some natural protection from the elements:
We will also try to share the excitement of the aforementioned Body Shop calendar...
drum roll please ....
and here is the offering behind door #1: Rainforest Volume Shampoo. It smells nice and fruity. And will be the perfect size for travel or taking to the gym! A fine start to the advent calendar.
Happy start of the Christmas season to all. Stay tuned for door #2 tomorrow ...
1 comments:
Fantastic! I was feeling sad about missing 'Levande adventkalander' but I will look forward to this one!
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