It takes a village... and a village of volunteers made it happen on December 4, 2010 in Boston. And not just in Boston, where photos below were taken, but in many cities throughout America. Similar festivities where arranged in many cities - more often than not under the supervision of SWEA, Swedish Women's Educational Association - www.swea.org. More info on SWEA Boston: www.sweaboston.org/
Karen, nee Eklof, and Chris Erikson, both 3rd generation Swedish American, still celebrate Christmas together with children Britta, John and Neil the Swedish way, on Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve. ENLARGE IMAGE »
"We'll be online tomorrow, at nordstjernan.com, yeah, sure..." Peter Karlsson, 2nd generation Swedish-American and Molly Drake consider this the start of the Holiday season. ENLARGE IMAGE »
"Wait a minute, online for real..?" Peter Karlsson prepares his own glögg and the Jansson's temptation and meatballs so important for the traditional Swedish Christmas table. ENLARGE IMAGE »
The Swedish Consul of Boston, Dr. S. Allen Counter with daughter Maya and Yuletide's Ginga Sewerin-Olsson, Vice Consul. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Ingrid Goulston, 1st Boston SWEA president is looking forward to the sill [herring] and skinka [ham] of the Swedish Julbord. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Boston SWEA Suzanne Frederick with Olle Olsson (certified 'Svenne' and spouse of the Yuletide coordinator Ginga Sewerin-Olsson.) ENLARGE IMAGE »
Katelyn and Gunilla O’Connell manning the generous vendor café, serving breakfast and sumptuous lunches of Swedish specials. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Eva De Lascio and Christina ‘Kia’ Lampe-Onnerud coordinated the 80 participating in the large Lucia procession in Boston. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Lena Saetre Grant, who manned the popular SWEA table of limpa, vörtbröd, Swedish sirap, candy, kanelbullar [cinnamon buns] and vetelängder en masse (empty at 2PM) ENLARGE IMAGE »
Karl’s Sausage’s Anita Gokey with her colleague Ann preparing for the arrival of local Swedes and Swedish Americans. Anita cutting the aged Västerbotten cheese, a delicacy from Sweden's north.. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Birgitta Odqvist, Karina Larsson of Birka Form introducing a stylish tomte - a bit of Alessio meets Santa - to the vast collection of Christmas decorations on display. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Tom Zarle, who since retirement pursues the noble art of wood carving in the Scandinavian folkstyle and travels with his Swedish-American wife Nancy to Boston and other venues to show his craft. ENLARGE IMAGE »
No Swedish gathering is complete without the tones from the accordion - Peter Widmark, Nils Lundin (recently turned 89) and Pär Wahlgren (visiting from Stockholm). ENLARGE IMAGE »
Allen LeVines, director of the New England singers Stämbandet, who went to Sweden sponsored by SWEA Boston, with Stämbandet member, former New Yorker, Gunnar Sievert. ENLARGE IMAGE »
It takes a village to create a Yuletide and Lucia for close to three thousand people. Ginga Sewerin-Olsson informing Eva-Nabih and a vendor around 7AM in the morning of the event. ENLARGE IMAGE »
A rare moment of relaxing for Eric Jenkins-Sahlin, orginally of Connecticut now at Harvard’s Carr Center, who made things work smoothly for vendors. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Tom Jahn, skier, Swede enthusiast par excellence kept things nice and tidy troughout the day. ‘It takes a village..' to make a Youletide, no doubt. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Annelie Slånemyr Phillips, who chairs the Swedish School, Svenska Skolan, in Boston - 80 children in 8 different age groups meet at the school in Weston. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Ulla Gjörstrup, SWEA Boston, Vendor Contact at Yuletide. 23 vendors offered everything for a Swedish Christmas. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Coordinator for the SWEA Boston Yuletide Ginga Sewerin-Olsson in front of SWEA Boston's Hall of Fame. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Who can resist Swedish waffles, whipped cream and strawberry jam..? Boston SWEA Anne Liebman worked the popular table. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Britt-Marie Larsson drove down from So Portland, Maine—to sample Christmas inspiration and later, pilot the westbound American Airlines flight. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Make sure you're visible in the dark this Christmas—Kristin Botnen of gloee.com with a variety of fun reflectors. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Niklas and Margareta Lidskog, locals who represent Swedish Sami art and handicrafts through SwedArt. ENLARGE IMAGE »
