I watched the deep beet red liquid pool around my slice of ham, julskinka, dyeing it with that rich beautiful color. Shaving off a piece of dyed ham, I dipped it into tangy yellow mustard and balanced bits of almond yellow potato on it before my mouthful.
Next would be pickled herring (sill), cured dill salmon (gravadlax), pan-fried meatballs, and observing fika 3-4 times per day. The strong smell of mulled wine (glögg) and spicy ginger snaps (pepparkakor) would follow well into the night and belly room must be saved for those.
Because that’s what you’re expected to do around these parts during this time of year under candlelight flickers.
This year, Christmas was spent in Northern Sweden (Swedish Lapland) with extended family. Winter in Stockholm and winter in Swedish Lapland remain worlds apart. The dark troughs of Lapland’s winter messes with you in such a way that renders you powerless; pulling you out of constant connectivity and forcing you to adapt to its own rules.
The biting bitter cold threatens to take down your lips if you dare lick them and the barely there four hours of sunlight tease you for months. You move lethargically; your body’s way of slapping you into submission to stop and observe and listen and breathe fresh air…
Finding the light in dark unexpected corners seemed to be the running theme this year for me in so many ways. And when there wasn’t enough light, I went chasing it.
My “2010 in review” post is yet to come, but I did want to share just why winter in Swedish Lapland absolutely blows me away (as best as I can with man-made technology)
You can check out a more complete set here – View Winter Gallery (49 photos)
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Please send Lola to the North Pole! -> www.lolagoesnorth.com
Awesome Shots mademoiselle:)
Nice shoots, Lola.
Two thumbs up!
Wow, really great pictures 🙂
@Nomadic Matt – You totally need to come during the winter. Lapland is where it’s at!
@Ekua – Too kind. Thanks!
@Astrid – Thanks, very “mysig” (Swedish). Many Scandinavian julbords are very similar.
Love the photo of the Christmas table. My Mum is Danish so this is this photo is exactly what Christmas looks like to me. So cozy!
These are incredible!!!
I don’t think I would have even gone outside in that temperature.
@my. – Thanks! It was so cold I was actually scared at times. Nose was close to freezing (at least in my head)
@Leigh – You guys definitely need to visit Scandinavia in the winter. Very surreal.
@Carlo – The sun only just hovers for 4 hours giving you that natural golden glow.
@Michelle – Thanks M! You have to come. You’ve always got a place to stay here!
@Kristin – Definitely getting used to traditional Swedish food especially the cured salmon. My kryptonite.
@Heather – Thanks! It’s that golden hour light photographers always look for.
@Eileen – It definitely is. That was at the in-laws up north. Everyone is welcome. Just let us know when you swing by Stockholm
@Candice – Don’t make me blush! Thanks. We just naturally gravitate towards the light because it gets dark and depressing here.
@Abbie – It was -35 today up north! Glad I was back in Stockholm before then 🙂
@Joshy – For real. Why didn’t I think of that?
@Julie – Thanks. Because the sun only hovers, you get this golden light at 12-1pm in the afternoon!
@Naomi – You’re welcome.
@Theresa – Wishing the same for you two as well in 2011. Would totally love to have you guys as neighbors.
@Tim – Thanks! Wonderful to hear from you. Hope all’s well on your end.
Wow! Absolutely stunning photos, Lola. I love the orange light on the snow.
Lovely! Your imagery and description makes this Southern girl consider moving to Sweden a serious option. I hope your holidays were warm despite the temperature and that 2011 is a blessed year for you.
These exposures are so, so beautiful! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Wow- I don’t think I’ve ever seen a light quite that golden. Thanks for sharing these.
Stunning! Makes me want to do a snow angel…
Great pictures, Lola. And wow, I can’t even comprehend what -22 degrees feels like. Brrr!
Lola, your talent always blows me away! You make freezing winter look like paradise, hahaha. Merry Christmas!
Hope that house is big enough for all of us, because it sounds like you have some takers. That looks tremendously cozy, and I love the way you captured the light through the trees. Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing them with us!
Wow – love the lighting in these photos.
I love these – so beautiful. But so cold! I also like your description of the food, made me hungry!
Holy COW, these are just gorgeous!!! One day, Lola, I am coming to visit you, and it just might have to be in the winter.
The lighting is so gorgeous in these shots Lola! And that feast sounds amazing. I would trade the turkey/mashed potatoes thing for that any day.
Really beautiful, Lola. I agree. It makes me want to visit.
It drops to maybe 30’s F degrees at night here in SoCal, and that’s unbearably cold for me. I can’t imagine how I’d survive in -22 degrees. But your photos make me want to go there! What a winter wonderland! Beautiful!