Three things I want to do this year

I’m not really one to have new years resolutions and I haven’t made any for 2022, at least not in the sense of things I’ve promised myself to do. But I do have certain plans for this year about which I would like to write about. The first is to learn more and write a

Sankta Lucia Day

Today is the 13th of December, which means it’s one of Sweden most beloved holidays: Saint Lucia’s Day. The official story is that it’s the celebration of Saint Lucy of Syracuse but there is some evidence the tradition also has pre-Christian elements. Many legends about this particular night exist, including the story of a mysterious

Tremble and fear, Krampusnacht is here!

On the 5 of December falls Krampusnacht, the night when Krampus is said to travel across the land and punish naughty children. This figure has roots in Germanic Paganism, although a lot of meaning surrounding the myth has been lost to time. The Church tried to ban the celebration but it continued in hard-to-access places,

The Yule Tomte: A Memory of Ancestor Veneration

Christmas time is nearing, which means people will soon start to bring out their holidays decorations. In Sweden, one figure will be making his yearly comeback: the jultomte, or Yule tomte. This tiny man with a big white beard and a pointy hat is a beloved figure in Scandinavian folklore. In modern times, we mostly

Sámi people ask that sacred ritual drum be returned to them

For centuries the Church labeled many forms of non-Christian spirituality as ”demonic” and ”witchcraft”. Shamans and other practitioners of these faiths were put on trial as witches and killed, often in sadistic fashion such as being burned alive. One group of people who were particularly hated by the Church were Sámi people who continued to

Just going to take a quick look…

is what I told myself when I walked into the bookstore while running errands. I ended up spending 477 kr (around 55 dollars) on books. See, this is why I usually stay away from bookstores and stick to ebooks. Anyway, this is what I got: Particular looking forward to reading this one. I’m a bit

Happy Midsummer!

Here in Sweden, it is Midsummer week-end. Unfortunately, because of Covid, there won’t be any large gatherings like we traditionally have. But that’s no reason not to celebrate and give appreciation for all the season gives. Today we celebrated with a bit of strawberry cake. I was going to bake one myself but then I

Sami National Day

Today is February 6th, which means it’s the national day of the Sami people. Let us celebrate and honour this culture, which has survived for thousands of years despite suppression from dominant surrounding nations. In my own country of Sweden, Sami people were forced off their land by the state and had their native religion