（以下、英文）
Finally, December is here. There are a lot of discussion here in Sweden if it ok to turn Christmas lights on before the first advent that occur forth Saturday before Christmas eve. I believe you should not start too early as this is a very special time of year when you like to keep as much tradition as possible, but I cheat a bit and turn the lights on the week before that. Mainly because there is no street lighting where I live so it is completely dark outside very early since beginning of November.
I have lots of lamps mounted on my house as garlands and around the garden and it make me feel happy when arriving home after work to see how it is lit up.
It is true joy to walk around the village and look at all the Christmas lights where everyone have their own design of the decorations and it almost feel you are walking in a fairy tale.
The day before Christmas Eve I bring the Christmas tree inside and hand lots and lots of decorations on it so it is almost completely covered. I believe that is actually the highlight of the season for me except of course when the family on Christmas Eve gather to eat a traditional Swedish Christmas dinner before opening the gifts under the Christmas tree.
I believe there are some variations of what is served at Christmas, but most of what is offered is the same in more or less every family: Baked ham, pickled herring in several different variants, cured salmon, egg halvs, Lutfisk (Lutfisk – dried fish rehydrated and served with white sauce), special spiced bread, Christmas cheese, meatballs, small sausages, brussel sprouts, red cabbage in sour cream and potato.
This year I believe many will shop part of the Christmas gifts from secondhand stores. That is something that has become more and more accepted as more and more people see this as part of becoming more sustainable. At Wexthuset we on the other hand see an increase of sales as many of our products are a part of becoming more environmentally friendly and boost biological diversity together with the fact that home grown vegs tastes better and is a great joy to have access to.
Under a plant lamp in my windowsill, I grow all the greens I need during winter time, including cucumbers and small tomatoes. It feels fantastic every time I go there to harvest to add on my sandwich or hot meal.
Merry Christmas and Happy new year！
（以下、英文）
Summertime gives you more time to spend with friends and family, and also allow more time to cook and eat. Recent years it has became more common to have what we have named Swecation or Homecation, meaning we stay at home during our summer vacation or travel within Sweden. Since long time it has been very popular for Swedes to travel to south of Europe or even further away to get sun after a long, cold winter. As a parenthesis there is also a new trend coming along where we can see more and more visitors from southern countries coming to Sweden, and more primary to the north of Sweden. It is called Coldcation and is a new trend where you like to avoid the more and more frequent warm spells in southern Europe.
Here in Sweden it is common for many people to have a summerhouse in the country side where they spend weekends or summer months. Many of these houses are located close to a lake making fishing a very popular activity. So, this also then make fish to one of the more commonly used ingredients when you cook your summer food.
But what is a summer without a barbeque? In each and every garden you will find a grill that can be anything from a very plain, small one to a masterclass all-inclusive outdoor kitchen. Here the men are spending a lot of time grilling while rest of family cook and prepare rest of the food.
A trend since the pandemic is that more and more people grow their own food in the garden so there is a lot to pick and prepare both for main dish and sides, but also sweet deserts.
In my garden I grow tomatoes, pepper, chili, melon and physalis in my greenhouse. Outdoors I have yearly crops like potatoes, salads, peas and beans together with beetroot and spinach among many other.
Perennial edibles I grow is black and red currant, rhubarb, apples, pears, blueberry, raspberry, strawberries and plums. From them I always can get ingredients to a cake or even lemonade or marmalade that I cook a lot to have also during winter month. I also stock parts of the harvest in my fridge and conserved pickled or in oil.
I have many favorites when it comes to recipes, but one of the most frequent one I use is the simple way to make lemonade. It is very refreshing and you can dilute it as little or much you like.
You can do it using mostly any type of fruit, or even elderberry flowers.
Use the below recipe for i.e. apples and then you can vary with other fruits. If more juicy fruits like berries you can limit amount of water with 1/3.
Do this:
Rinse the apples and cut them into small pieces that are placed in a large bowl.
Boil water and pour over the apple pieces.
As soon as it has cooled down, put a lid on or stretch plastic wrap over the bowl and refrigerate it for 3-4 days.
Strain the juice and add the lemon juice and sugar.
Stir well until the sugar melts.
Pour into well-cleaned bottles.
お部屋の中のキッチンハーブの管理も簡単！ 「3-in-1 Herb Pots」 水がなくなった合図がお花の位置でわかるハーブポット。キッチンやリビングなどのコンパクトスペースでもハーブやお花などの栽培ができて、お水も自動で給水されるので管理も簡単。3ポットタイプのほか、シングルポットもあり、カラーバリエーションも豊富です♪
ガーデニングや畑仕事は体を動かす作業が多くを占めるので、自分のコンディションが作業に影響することもしばしば。重かったり使い勝手の悪い道具を使用して、手や腰が痛くなってきてしまったり、長時間の作業が苦痛に感じることもあります。そんな負担を軽減できればとつくられたのが、イギリス・Kent＆Stowe（ケントストー）のガーデンライフシリーズ。
「The lighter way to garden.」ガーデニングを気軽にできるように設計されたシリーズです。
各国で選ばれる英国ブランド Kent＆Stoweについて
Kent & Stowe （ケントストー）は17 世紀に起源をもち、多くの庭師やガーデナーの間で信頼を得ている、高品質の園芸用具・農具のブランドです。
（以下、英文）
Mother's Day in Sweden as in the other Nordic countries are celebrated the last Sunday in May unlike many other countries that celebrates this already in Marsh. As many other traditions the Mother's Day traditions has been imported from America and have since long become an integral part of our cultural heritage. The Mother’s Day celebration started in Sweden about 1919 as an initiative from the author Cecilia Bååth-Holmberg, who suggested that May was a better time to celebrate as you can pick lots of flowers all over the country.
There are also other stories about the origin of Mother’s Day in Sweden where you can read about that it actually begun already in 1607 where lost children, or children living away from their mothers would come and visit. They then were supposed to bring gifts to their mother. During this time a visit to the local church was an important part.
Until late 1990 this day was not as ‘commercial’ as it now has become. Then the children and respective families usually visited our mothers bringing a cake and some flowers and spent the afternoon drinking coffee.Now this day, like all other holidays and a like has become more commercialized with more gifts etc. but still the original relatively basic celebration is how most of us enjoys this day. Depending on weather we may opt for visiting an outdoor coffee place and maybe take a nice stroll around some parks or gardens.
Being a mother of three, where two of them has children themselves we instead meet to celebrate all family together. The famous Princess cake is a favorite for all of us with the green marzipan topping and the pink marzipan rose on top hiding a lot of whipped cream and custard sauce.
Alla hjärtans dagはただ単にパートナーや恋人の為だけでなく、友達や家族にも愛を伝える日となっています。
スウェーデンのカルチャーはよく、シンプルさと実直さとして認識されていますので、大げさな表現の代わりに思慮深く、意味の深い表現方法で愛を伝えます。個人たちだけでわかるサインや、手紙、そして一日かけてお互いの興味がある場所を巡ったりすることで、愛を伝えあっています。
Alla hjärtans dagはまた、他の国と同じように花束をプレゼントしたりもしますが、多くの場合、ハンドメイドで作るチョコやアクセサリー、その他の手作りの贈り物を渡して、より自分の気持ちを伝えています。
ここスウェーデンのWexthuset（ヴェクスセット）でもバレンタインデーに種を送る人が多く、たくさん注文が入ります。ちょうどトマトの種を植えるのに絶好の時期なので。
私も、バレンタインデーは2人の息子と娘、その家族と素敵な食事をして、孫たちと遊んですごしています。
（以下、英文）
Valentine's Day is called "Alla hjärtans dag" (All hearts day) in Sweden and is celebrated 14th of February as in rest of the world. However, the Swedish approach to Valentine's Day is characterized by a blend of traditional customs and modern romantic gestures. Alla hjärtans dag is not just a celebration for romantic partners but also a day to express love and appreciation for friends and family.
The Swedish culture places a significant emphasis on simplicity and sincerity. Instead of extravagant gestures, many Swedes appreciate more thoughtful and meaningful expressions of love. Personalized gestures, handwritten notes, or planning a day around shared interests are often valued over grandiose displays.
I belive that Alla hjärtans dag is celebrated much in the same way as everywhere with gifts like flowers, but also more personalized gifts, such as chocolates, jewelry, or handmade items, to convey their feelings.
Here at Wexthuset we provide a set of seeds especially before Valentine Day saying this is the perfect period to start your tomato seedlings.
I will spend Valentine’s Day with my two sons, my daughter and their families enjoying nice food and playing with the children.
（以下、英文）
When the days are getting darker you days outside are more or less turned into a grey fog. November is by I believe everyone I know considered as the month everyone just like to be over, so we turn into December. Then everything changes. Or to be more accurate, when the 1st of Advent is coming, then life returns.
I am not sure how much Advent is celebrated in Japan. Here in Sweden, and I would say Scandinavia overall this is an important part of the tradition of Christmas.
Advent is a period that marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and leads up to Christmas. The word "advent" comes from the Latin word "adventus," meaning arrival or coming. Advent usually lasts for four weeks, beginning on the Sunday closest to November 30, or if there is none, on the Sunday closest to December 2.
During the Advent season, Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Traditionally, Advent signifies a time of anticipation, hope, and preparation. Many Christians celebrate Advent by lighting a new candle on an Advent wreath each Sunday leading up to Christmas. There are also Advent calendars and wreaths used to count down the days until Christmas Eve.
Advent is particularly significant in certain Christian traditions and churches, such as the Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations. However, it's worth noting that not all Christians observe Advent, and its significance can vary among different branches of Christianity and across cultures.
Beginning of 1th Advent most people are putting up their Christmas lighting outdoors and indoors making the landscape turn into something completely different than the November grey fog. After that everyone is waiting for Lucia sho is coming with a crown of light on her head.
Lucia is a traditional celebration observed in Sweden and some other Nordic countries on December 13th each year. The celebration honors the saint Lucia, believed to have lived during Roman times. The observance has its roots in various traditions and folklore, evolving into a beautiful and luminous ceremony.
During the Lucia celebration, a young woman, known as Lucia, dresses in a white gown, a red sash, and wears a crown of lights on her head. The crown is often adorned with either real candles or electric lights. Other participants in the procession, called maids and star boys, also dress in white attire, with maids often carrying candles or stars.
Lucia's entourage visits various places, such as schools, workplaces, and nursing homes, singing Lucia songs. One of the most well-known songs sung during the Lucia celebration is "Sankta Lucia." The celebration is often associated with light and symbolizes the increasing light during the dark winter period. It is a tradition that reflects community, song, and light in Swedish culture.
（以下、英文）
The fall has arrived. Our country is quite long, stretching 1600 km from north to south. This makes the climate very different between North to South especially in spring and fall. Our northern region has had frost and the first snow already a month ago, while southern part just had or will have frost during the comping week.
Many of the plants we grow needs protection from the cold ant that make this a busy period of the year, removing all of these plants away from the frost.
Large and small plants that needs to be overwintered in a frost-free environment, sometimes also using a plant lamp to provide as natural situation as possible for the plant as where it normally grows can be a challenge.
This weekend I cleaned my greenhouse to prepare for the overwintering. As many new plants has found their way to me. I also had to build some more shelves to make room for them all.
This morning was the first small strike of frost, so this was a real good timing. Now everything tender needs to go inside. And shortly I will activate the heating fan to keep the temperature above zero degrees in the greenhouse.
Now the garden changes in color, but also in pots and planters. Many people are already preparing for Halloween celebrations that take place in the en of October by placing carved and natural pumpkins on the doorsteps. Lanterns are lightened at dawn, and we move into “cozy-mood” with candlelight and blankets.
The celebration of Halloween has not a long history in Scandinavia. It has grown year by year since about 10 years only, but it is quite popular to many. I love pumpkin soup and love bread with pumpkin meat strolled with seeds, so I really look forward to some fall baking.
I still grow some greens in my kitchen garden and there are a lot of flowers still in the garden that I pick and enjoy indoors now when more time is spent inside. I grow baby leaf and sprouts inside on my windowsills that adds to all the nice stews cooked on vegetables harvested in my garden.
In this period, I also update my diary with information about how my sowing and growing has been progressed. What to sow again, what I may not like to have again and also starting to make up some plans for my kitchen garden for next year.
For the gardening fan, there is always something to do, even if there is frost or winter outside.
2023/10/13
Column
Welcome Back To Tokyo 2023
先日、スウェーデン商工会議所（SCCJ）主催のウェルカムバック to 東京2023に行ってきました。イベントは東京アメリカンクラブで行われ、美味しい食事とスウェーデンのクラフトビールを味わいながら、スウェーデン大使のお話を聞いたり、スウェーデンに関係のある企業の方々と楽しい雑談をしてきました。
Traditional Watering Can Green, 4.5L ハス口は丸い形状で口径よりやや幅が広くなるように散水をします。Original Watering Canに付属している楕円型のハス口に比べ、ハス口の穴が少し大きく、優しい中にもしっかりとした水流を作りだします。
Original Watering Can Green, 4.5L ハス口は楕円型の形状で弧を描くように散水をします。穴も細かいため、上向きにセットしたときは、広範囲に優しい散水をしてくれます。本体は金属製のため、プラスチック製のジョウロに比べ重量感があると思いきや、実際に満水で持ってみてもバランスがとりやすく、小柄なスタッフでも持ち運びやすかったです。
The Cradley Deluxe Green, 7L ハス口はOriginal Watering Canと同タイプです。大きな違いは本体の素材がプラスチックなこと。持ち手部分が握りやすいように手に馴染むデザインになっています。
The Cradley Cascader Green, 7L 水が散水される部分のみ真鍮でできており、その他の部分は本体と同じプラスチックでできています。楕円型の形状で、全て真鍮製のハス口よりもやや厚さが薄く、ハス口を上向きにセットしたとき、水の盛り上がりが若干少ない印象でした。金属製に比べ軽量感があるので、ガシガシに使うにはもってこいのジョウロです。
The Sutton Splash Green, 2L 今回比較したジョウロの中で一番細いハス口タイプです。ハス口の向き（上下）ではあまり変化がなく、どちらも優しい散水をしてくれます。プラントポットやちょっとしたお庭などコンパクトな場所への散水に向いています。散水に張りがあるため水がたれにくい印象でした。
芝のお手入れは基本的に午前中の日差しが強くなる前に行いますが、真夏の炎天下が続く日は夕方から夜にもう一度水やりをするのがおすすめです。そんな夜にも楽しく水やりができるのが、Decorative Solar SprinklerとMulti Col LED Sprinkler。光りながら散水をしてくれるので幻想的な空間を作り出してくれます。芝のお手入れのためだけでなく、お庭でのナイトプールも楽しめます。
（以下、英文）
Now everybody is looking forward to midsummer that we celebrate this year Friday 23th. The magical night where the sun does not set, the fairies are dancing on the meadows just near the woods.
The mist from the grounds looked like fairies dancing and other mythological beings from that this myth was born.
Looking at historical sources the midsummer festivities is a very old tradition going back to the mid 16th century where the Nordic people celebrated the light and wishes for good growing and crops.
A lot of dancing and cheer with bonfires and games has been an important part since these early days.
Tradition says you travel to the countryside with family, and often also friends are invited. Midsummer is highly associated to nature so therefor this is very common to do. Food is a priority during this day with with lot’s of small dishes like salmon, pickled herring, new potato and meatballs. Pie, ice cream and cream cake with strawberries is more or less a must.
The traditional wreath, woven by flowers and birch twigs are created during the early hours and then worn the whole day giving that special midsummer feeling.
In our family my three children with spouses and four grandchildren arrives about 11AM where we start to make the wreathes. Food is served from 1PM and then we go down towards the lake Mälaren to enjoy our neighbors company, attend some lotteries, eat cake and probably dance a bit. Welcoming the steam ship Mariefred arriving at our leafy dock with more family and friends.
That is midsummer. I hope you will have a chance to experience it sometime.
Haws Watering Can Graphite 世界のガーデナーの憧れであり、長い間愛され続けるイギリス（英国）『HAWS』のジョウロ。多彩なカラーが魅力の一つでもありますが、黒鉛の意味をもつグラファイトは父のかっこいいイメージにぴったりなアイテムです。
Kent & Stowe Carbon Steel Tools 英国ガーデニングツールブランド、Kent＆Stoweの重厚感のある色合いが人気のカーボンシリーズ。日本では炭素鋼と呼ばれる素材ですが、見た目の重厚感に反して衝撃吸収率が高いので、腕などの関節にやさしいといったメリットがあります。さりげなく「元気で頑張ってね。」とのメッセージを伝えるにはもってこいのアイテムです。
Kent & Stowe Eversharp Secateurs また、Kent＆Stoweの剪定ばさみにはほとんどの商品にカーボンスチール素材が使用されています。 その中でも一番硬度が高い素材を使用して作られたのが、Eversharpシリーズです。ハンドル部分には軽量なアルミ素材とアッシュウッドが採用されています。
Luxury Leather Gauntlet Gloves Mens Large 同じくKent＆Stoweブランドのガーデニンググローブ。手の平・手の甲部分にはやわらかくしなやかな牛革を使用し、スエードの袖口が腕や手をしっかり保護してくれる、ガーデニング作業に最適な頑丈なつくりとなっています。
こだわりのあるガーデニンググッズで、いつもはなかなか伝えられない感謝の気持ちをお伝えしてみてはいかがでしょうか？
In Sweden, Easter began to be celebrated during the 12th century. Easter has grown out of Christianity and is one of its most important holidays. For Christians, Easter is about being reminded of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sweden is one of the less religious countries but still Easter is an important tradition even if very few of us although very few of us attend any church service. But as late as 1970s the Friday, Good Friday before Easter Saturday every shop was closed, and you were expected to do nothing.
Until one hundred years ago the month before Easter was the end of a one month long fast. The celebration after the fast was a feast with lots to eat. Egg and meat in salmon and pickled herring. In fact very much like the Swedish traditional Christmas dinner except for the ham and more focus on eggs.
On Thursday before Easter according to old Swedish folklore the witches according to tradition flies on a broom to Blåkulla. This manifests today where children dresses up like witches, walk from house to house and begs for candy. Quite far from the old says.
In our family I start by taking in some branches from birch about 10 days before the Easter week, put in a was and have the leaves budding in light green. Then we hang painted blown eggs and colored feathers to make it colorful to celebrate spring.
Before my grandchildren arrives on Saturday, I hang out feathers as a path in the garden where they can find their Easter egg filled with sweets.
In the afternoon we all eat from the festive table ending with a traditional Swedish cheesecake that has not much in common with the more well-known cheesecakes outside Sweden. This is a real treat served with cream and strawberry jam.
Mvh
Lena Ljungquist
