You might be Scandinavian if…
- Your gifts are wrapped in kraft paper, twine, and dried oranges.
- You shop local with a thermos of cocoa in hand.
- Your favorite holiday movie is one most people have never heard of.
- Handmade stars and paper lanterns beat any store-bought display.
- You would serve craft cider or pine tea before eggnog.
- Your dream vacation is a quiet retreat, not a party.
A perfect Scandinavian Christmas
You wake early to candlelight and a pot of coffee. The morning is for baking bread and stringing citrus garlands. In the afternoon you wander a Christmas market or take a long walk in the cold. By evening there is a simple stew on the stove, a few candles burning, and stories told slowly.
How to decorate for a Scandinavian Christmas
- Use natural materials: wood, wool, linen, dried citrus, and evergreen.
- Keep the tree spare, with paper stars and a few wooden ornaments.
- Light candles instead of overhead lights.
- Put a tomte (Scandinavian gnome) on the windowsill to keep watch.
Gift ideas for a Scandinavian Christmas lover
- A wool throw or knit mittens
- Beeswax candles
- A tomte figurine
- A Scandinavian baking cookbook
- Handmade ceramic mugs
Where Scandinavian sits on the compass
On the Christmas compass, Scandinavian lands on the classic and minimalist side. The closest styles are:
Are you really Scandinavian?
Answer 23 quick questions and find out which of the nine Christmas styles is yours.
