Advent

November is usually an very dark
and grey month here in the south of Sweden.
Well dark it is in the whole Sweden this
time of year. Not much sun is seen....
So we love celebrating Advent here in Scandinavia!
The first Sunday of Advent is usually the
last sunday in november or the first of december.
By now all the stores and shops
are starting to display their christmasgoods
and the things "we must have for christmas"
It´s now time to put up our electric stars,
and candlesticks in our windows!
An lovely time of year when there´s
light and stars everywhere!
Some put up lights in the trees
in the garden as well.

In the north of Sweden, the sun doesn´t
rise above the horizon for the whole day
and you can imagine that all the candles
is of need ;)
The midvinter solstice, on 21th of Dec
is the darkest day of the year.
From that day it only gets lighter day by day.

On the first Sunday, people here light
the first candle in our Advent-candlestick.
This is always an special event, egerly awaited.
Each Sunday intil Christmas, a candle is lit
until all four candles are alight.
We also have an Christmas calender for the
children both on radio and on television.
They are soo longing for christmas and
love that calendershow with 24 episodes.

Advent means arrival or coming and
since 1890:s we in Sweden have the costum
of light this candle every Sunday during Advent.
From the beginning was those candles in
small Christmas trees but in the 1930:s
they where superseded by candlesticks
of iron or wood.
The Morovian custom of hanging
a star made from paper, straw or
chipwood in windows also found it´s
way to Sweden at this time.
Recalling the star that guided
the Three Wise Men.

In agrarian times, Advent was an hectic
period when all the farmwork was to
be completed so that people could
take Christmas leave.
By 9th of December "Anna-day", the
Christmas Brew was to be ready, the
lutfisk (a dried fish soaked in
lye) was to be put in the lye
and the baking was to begin.
By 13th of December "Lucia", candles
were to be made and animals
slaughtered for the Christmas table.
And after 21th of December "Tomas-day"
all milling and spinning was to cease.