An annual event, the Christmas Bazaar at the Swedish Church on Manhattan must not be missed. Nordstjernan was there and ran into a bunch of old friends. Glögg, lussebullar, pepparkakor or a plate of food for the really hungry guests. Then some shopping for tomtar, candlesticks, Christmas ornaments, Lucia-kronor, table runners, goat cheese, coffee bread, limpa bread, chocolate, sweets.... You name it, there's a good reason to head to the Swedish Church for their annual Christmas Bazaar, which runs for three hectic days in November and turns the church into a virtual Christmas card, all red and cozy. Friday had 980 visitors, Saturday 884 and Sunday 270 had visited just around 3 pm. What makes the affair go around is great personnel at the church and a whole lot of wonderful volunteers. Nordstjernan met and spoke to some of them.
For more information about the Swedish Church's activities, visit: www.svenskakyrkan.se/default.aspx?id=546526
Karin Strömquist, looking wonderful as usual, is always at the entrance welcoming people to the Christmas Bazaar. "It's been busier than usual," Karin told us. "The tickets for the Lucia concert were sold out in two days!" ENLARGE IMAGE »
It was Agneta Ringberg's first time helping at the bazaar. She and her family moved to Morristown, NJ, last summer. "It's a different world here," Agneta said about living in the U.S. Her family chose to settle in Morristown because of the easy commute into the city. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Barbro Thelemarck, originally from Örebro. "A friend said to me 'I'm going to help out at the church, why don't you come along,' and so I did!" ENLARGE IMAGE »
Anna Hawkings sold chocolate and bags of candy from Sockerbit, the Swedish candy store in New York. "If I can help, I will," said Anna. "The people who work at the church are amazing, very friendly, simply the best. So help out is the least I can do." ENLARGE IMAGE »
Agneta Palmblad came with her daughter Annika Kaye (check out her band Jonka!). "Most important about Christmas? Being together with your family and glögg," said Agneta. And Annika's American husband Jon seems hooked on Agneta's glögg. "He asked for it already for Thanksgiving," said Annika. What's the secret with Agneta's glögg, we wanted to know. "I use vodka, a lot of spice, burgundy and sometimes orange juice as well. I put the spices in little gauze bags, throw it in the wine and let it simmer overnight. It smells so good, which is great since I don't bake!" ENLARGE IMAGE »
Mona Johnsson, also a pro when it comes to helping out at the Christmas Bazaar, sold Swedish limpa bread. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Kerstin Palma and Madeleine Ribbing at the SWEA table—a table that was almost empty. "This is what remains," said Madeleine. "Friday we had a lot of baked goods, but that's all gone now. This is a lot of fun, although my feet hurt a bit!" ENLARGE IMAGE »
Jeanne Eriksson Widman Andersen, a Nordstjernan favorite for many years, did not bring her accordion this time but her lovely daughter Nicole Widman Shea. The two enjoyed lunch as well as some shopping. "I bought a lot of those small candles, those little angel candles," said Jeanne. "And baked stuff, because I don't have time to bake. But we will bake some cookies." Nicole also bought some coffee bread. They celebrate a Swedish-style Christmas with ham, Swedish meatballs and Mormor's glögg—all on Christmas Eve of course. "That's the bigger day at our home," said Jeanne. ENLARGE IMAGE »
Anna Bergsmedh and daughter Ella came to enjoy some glögg. "I was here Friday already and bought an Advent candlestick," said Anna. "That's one thing I really miss from Sweden: The way we celebrate advent." ENLARGE IMAGE »
Adventsljusstakar (electric candlesticks to symbolize Advent) and other decorations for Christmas are among the things you can pick up at the bazaar. ENLARGE IMAGE »
