Adventfika

My wonderful classmate Erica really took all of us under her wing last year inviting us to her home for Adventfika where we made pepparkakor  (gingerbread) and drank glögg (sort of like mulled wine, served hot in small ceramic cups and garnished with almonds and raisins). She was also the main driving and organizing force behind our trip to Idre Fjäll – the condo we stayed in belongs to the company her father works for.

This year was no exception and December 7^th (the first advent) found us (myself and several classmates) at the stylish small flat she shares with her boyfriend Jonas. Many of her non-school friends were there as well and the apartment was warm not only with good cheer but with the physical heat given off by so many happy festive people. This year we helped make not only gingerbread but also luciakatter (Lucia cats – really!) which are like a cinnamon bun except flavoured with saffron and curled into an 'S' shape with each curl studded with a raisin. Googling seems to indicate they are a Catholic tradition  which is a surprise to me.

It was a delightful evening at which (predictably) I ate too much and was glad of the walk home although it was a chilly night.

Classmates Milad (seated with glasses) and Erica (red dress) and Erica's boyfriend Jonas

Classmates Viktoria sitting (from the US but her dad is Swedish) and Diana (from Romania) standing making Luciakatter

Glögg (and finished Luciakatter on the right - these have sugar sprinkles instead of raisins)

Me and Maija hard at work

Diana and Milad

The dough was STICKY!