Christmas Markets

[Aussie]

Hi all,

Christmas is upon us in a few short weeks. I know it's getting darker, colder and even starting to snow, but I have to say that going out to the traditional Christmas markets is a great way of spending the day. The markets are truly charming.

I thought I'd start the ball rolling here and list the 3 markets around my town. Others can add theirs too and let's see if we can find one near you.

I live in Nynäshamn, which is on the suburban train line south of Stockholm. The markets we have here are:

Hamnjul Traditionell Julmarknad
Saturday and Sunday December 6th and 7th. 11-16 both days.

It is held at the harbour area. It is an old-fashioned Christmas market, with lots of goodies, hand crafted goods, home baked cakes, biscuits, jams, candy, as well as fresh christmas wreaths (beautiful!), decorations, Christmas sausages and smoked fish etc. There is food and drink as well. All the little harbour shops stay open and centrum is also open. As this is a tiny town, it will take you 5 minutes to walk to centrum.

The other nice thing is that you can make it a real outing and come from Stockholm by steam train or steam boat. To check the timetable for the train, see Ångtåg.

The steamboat details are at Blidösund

Landsort Julmarknad

Saturday 6th December. The website is here

Landsort is a charming archipelago island just south of here. You can get the train to Nynäshamn, bus to Ankarudden on Torö, then the Waxholm ferry across to the island. The ceramic handcrafted goods are first class. And it is lovely to go and visit a small archipelago community. Details of the ferry timetable are on the website and you can co-ordinate it with the train from Stockholm on the SL website.

Utö Julmarknad

This is the biggest and best known of the archipelago markets. The website is here. It runs over three weekends - 6th and 7th December, 13th and 14th of December and 20th and 21st December.

You can reach Utö from Stockholm via train to Västerhaninge (about half way to Nynäshamn), then bus from station to Åsta Havsbad and ferry across to the island. Or there are steamboat services from Stockholm with Satsjön or Cinderella (with julbord served).

Utö is beautiful and has a lot of accommodation as well, so you could make a weekend of it. The guest harbour is also open if you want to take your own boat there. All details are on the website.

And finally, if any of you make it to Nynäshamn, you are very welcome for a warm glögg and snack at my humble shoebox apartment. Just pm me here.

[Carolyn]

We have a Julmarknad every Sunday in December at Wadköping, which is in Örebro, kind of our living history area, full of wonderful old buildings that were rescued from our region and all put up in our Stadsparken. You can read a little bit about it in English and also, by clicking on Julmarknad once you're in the link, find out more about the programs there in December.

www.orebro.se/asp/fraIndex.asp?key=astad@2

I know there will be several markets in the area, but that usually comes out in the Friday and Saturday papers. Also, the first week-end in Advent, we usually have a "late" Saturday, where the stores stay open past 2 p.m., the Christmas lights are lit, there's all kinds of entertainment and food in Stortorget and lots of strolling carolers from the various music societies and music schools in the area.

[Sabeine]

What do I do, if I want to go to a Julmarknad, but Anders thinks there dumb. Those were his words. He finds them a waste of time, and doesn't want to go. What should I do? Does anyone know of ones here in Stockholm where I could go by myself and not have to travel far?

I am officially living with the Grinch. or should he be a Troll since he's from Scandinavia?

[Carolyn]

Go to Nynashäm, visit Aussie and go to their Julmarkad. Or jump a train and come to our ongoing Julmarknad. It's only 1.5 hours by train.

I live with a semi-Grinch myself and have to go to Advent carol service and the downtown goings on by myself. The first year I was here, I waited for him to feel guilty and take me, so I didn't do a damned thing. Now I know where everything is and will let him sit at home in the corner in the dark by himself.

[Sabeine]

Do you think it could have something to do with people named Anders? ha ha

Mine seems to revel in his Grinch status. He wears black almost all the time, and thinks we should skip Xmas and go straight to New Years. I don't like lots of Xmas decorations myself, but I do like a few here and there, and some lights on our balconey. It seems like he wants to put the stuff up on Dec 23rd, and take them down on 26th. We struggle with this every Xmas, and this will be my 4th Xmas here. I buy a nifty Xmas ornament each year to put on the tree, and when I show it to him I don't even get a word out of him, only a grunt, or a hmmm. He puts me in a bad mood at Xmas with his lack of spirit!

Help!

[Carolyn]

So it's part your place too, so you decorate the way you want to, cook the foods you want to, and at least buy him a huge bottle of whiskey or something so that if he can't be happy, at least he can be unconscious!

[Bunny]

There is a Christmas market at Skansen on weekends in Dec. I don´t remember the dates right now but they can be found on www.skansen.se. We are thinking about going on the 13th, Luciadagen. As I understand, from reading their webpage, there will be a "Lucia-tåg" at Solliden that afternoon.
Speaking of Christmas ornaments ... I have started collecting these lovely angels with golden wings to hang in the tree. I found them in Gallerian in a store called "American Classics". Expensive but very nice things for the home.
And I don´t care if my husband would like Christmas or not, I´ll decorate and bake anyway. Try stopping a train. ;D I just LOVE Christmas !!

[Beverly]

Gamla Stan has a nice market, too.

[Natooke]

Mine seems to mercilessly … POOF show up at the Jul Board & wonders why all the stress & hype is.

This sunday I’ll be working at Rädda Barn’s Jul Marknad.

I love collecting winter, Xmas related glass … like Kosta’s snow ball (tea candle) holder.

Which reminds me If anyone here ever needs crystal from Sweden ... I'm living smak dab in Småland.

[Carolyn]

I need to come down at some point anyway, Natooke, and check on the glass myself. I'm VERY weird about what I like and glasses with cartoon characters, especially M. Mouse, do NOT fit into my decor and that's what I see around here in Duka and other shops.

Actually, my husband had a lovely candy dish from Kosta Boda. you notice I say "had", since he was washing it a month or so ago, so now we have a Kosta Boda candy dish with a crack through it and a sharp edge, so I need to find another candy dish!

[Sabeine]

I too would love to come down again to the Glass Kingdom sometime next year. Anders and I had thought to pass through and visit the glass factories, give a howdy to Natooke and family (if she'd open her door, ha ha) ;D then to go down to Skåne and possibly Germany. It would probably only be a during the day visit to Småland, but it would still be fun.

Carolyn, or anyone else for that matter, if you'd like to come along with us, maybe we could do some planning to include some things that you would be interested in. The Germany part is just a "maybe".

[Sabeine]

Where is "American Classics", Bunny?

Also, there is a Julmarknad in Gamla Stan? When?

The Skansen one looks great, maybe I'll go there. I have another American friend who I talked to today and she seems interested, so maybe now I won't have to go alone.

[Pam]

We're having a jul marknad in Torup this weekend!! LOL It'll be we who make stuff to sell, including the kids, a fire truck, an army truck, jul promenade, a jultomte surronded by kids screaming, "pappa!!" and, of course, lotto! Two till six. I'm making candy to sell. Anyone reading here who may be on my Christmas list should know that I was planning to make candy as gifts so if you happen to get some it won't be left over from this weekend!
As for your grinches, I still highly recommend the water gun!! Still with citrus oil. That way if they can't BE Christmasy, they can smell Christmasy.

[Bunny]

Sabeine,
American Classics store is in Gallerian close to Sergels Torg. "The" Gallerian, because every Stockholmer knows where it is. Just ask for directions when you´re at Sergels Torg.
I´m not sure if they have opened another store permanently there or if it is just for the Christmas shopping. If I´m not mistaken, the regular store is on Karlavägen somewhere.
Glad to hear you will have someone to go with you to Skansen. It´s fun to go to a "real" Christmas market. The one in Gamla Stan is not as good as it used to be by far.

[angiebaby]

There is a market this Saturday Nov 19 (my 1st B'day in Sweden!! Woo hoo!) at the YMCA at Alvik. You have to stop at Klövervagen.