Making Christmas*

I'm well aware that it's only November, but 2013 will be the year when this Christmas junkie spends her first X-mas away from Sweden, and it takes some preparations to make it bearable. Hence, stocking up on important (and not so important) accessories and ingredients on the brief sojourn back home was essential.

Below are some of the items I collected: bitter orange peel (pomerans) for ginger thins, a sample of my favorite Christmas tea blend, spice mix for mulled wine (glögg), almond paste (mandelmassa), traditional cookie cutters (piglet, angel, star), a calender candle, a knitted heart, dry yeast for saffron rolls, and some typical holiday sweets (Marianne mint candies and juleskum). I also got myself a star shaped paper pendant lamp to hang in my kitchen window in time for advent (not shown below).

So far, so good! I'm ready for December to start. Like, right now. Now!

*The title of this post refers to the No. 1 Christmas movie out there: Tim Burton's “Nightmare Before Christmas”. But you knew that, of course. If not: check it out!