Show & Tell: Light

Erica's last theme is light. (Simone takes over Show & Tell in November.)

Image from svenskakyrkan.se

The topic made me think of recent "advertising" from the Swedish church ahead of All Saints' Day, a day to commemorate the dead. In Sweden the custom is to put wreaths and candles on the graves of passed loved ones. If you pass by a Swedish cemetery on this particular weekend you will see hundreds of flickering lights - so beautiful and solemn.

Image from solakra.blogg.se

On the Swedish church website A Light in the Dark there are texts about what this holiday / custom is about and why it has become important for people. One writes that nowadays few have family and roots where they live and then it becomes more important to remember at least once a year. The need to connect becomes stronger when home (even though "home" can be fluid) is far away. Maybe it's that old cliché - "distance makes the heart grow fonder". And distance can be time as well, and not just geographical distance.

Eva Brunne* writes:

Lighting candles, remembering, thinking of what went so well, but also on that which didn't go well. It's like the candles relieves thoughts and feelings. Many times I have walked around the cemetery and heard parents tell stories to their little children about a grandmother or grandfather they perhaps have never even met. A story that connects and links to the future. And then they light the candle. [The light] points forward and into a life where we carry many stories with us that are necessary for our continued life.

But light also refers to optimism in dark times. There is always a way to light up the dark; the dark never wins. Life prevails over death. Good is stronger than evil.

I think a lot about that in these times of success for the Sweden Democrats, that, in my view, racist and backward-looking party. I sure hope that the voters that seem attracted to (according to the polls) these dark views find some light in their lives well ahead of next year's election** so that the Sweden Democrats don't get into Parliament.

* It doesn't say if she's a priest or other member of the church staff or just a member of the public
** September 2010

Are You a Hamster?*

In case you've missed it, regular lightbulbs will soon be banned in the whole of the EU. It's not an immediate ban though but a gradual phasing out. The first step is to ban the manufacturing and import of lightbulbs. Shops are still allowed to sell their stock though.

Following the decision, sales in Sweden dropped ten per cent in the first six months of 2009 and halogen and low-energy bulbs are rising fast in popularity.

That hasn't stopped people from hoarding bulbs though. Big time hoarding.

So who are you? A hoarder, grieving the disappearance of the bulb that "gives such clear light" or someone who embraces the idea of a greener, cleaner and simply better future?! Okay, I guess the question is a bit biased... So sue me!


* Hamster refers to Swedish slang (perhaps in other countries as well) for hoarding. You know, hamsters keep stuff in their cheeks.

Show & Tell: Christmas Preparations

I thought the theme this week (well, Friday three days ago; I'm late again in the usual fashion) was Christmas presents preparations but since I haven't bought too many presents yet (and don't want to reveal what I'm planning either since certain people read this blog!), I figured that I would just write about Christmas preparations. But then I looked at Marianne's blog again - she's been the hostess of the theme in November - and realised the theme is Christmas traditions. Oh well. I will just show you some of the Advent decorations we have put up so far and how far I have got in my preparations.

I guess this picture would have been better had I actually lit the first Advent candle... Oh well. This is our living room window anyway. I wasn't sure if I should put out tomten already now or wait until nearer Christmas but Peter hinted he wanted it so now it sits there and waits.

This little golden tree makes those long, dark winter evenings warm and cosy.

This is my parents old Advent candle holder. I like the wrought iron and the red (electric) candles!

The balcony is also ready for winter - the trees are supposed to survive winter if they are properly insulated with bark in a sack clothing - and decorated with what is probably the neighbourhood's brightest lights :)

Also wanted to show the amaryllis that my parents gave us - it's well over a metre tall!
Hope it doesn't fall over!

The glögg (mulled wine) has been purchased for Friday's get-together when Céline and Diego visits from Barcelona. I'm particularly curious about the chocolate glögg in the black bottle.

Finally, a collection of Christmas presents bought so far.

Show & Tell: Light

This month's Show & Tell themes come from Sunny Swede. Her choice of topics are:

6 June: Light (from ljus, as in illumination, daylight, bright, lightly coloured, etc.)
13 June: View (the Swedish word utsikt could also mean forecast or prospect/chance)
20 June: 5 o'clock
27 June: Cooking

Anyone is welcome to join the gang!

My take on this week's theme, light, is to show you the beautiful sunset I documented while in the Swedish eastcoast town Oskarshamn at the end of March. It was just before 6 am in the morning and so beautiful to watch it from my hotel room overlooking the Baltic Sea.