Christmas markets Scandi style

December 3rd 2018

Bunad ~ traditional Norwegian national costume,
each county has its own designated dress,
you can pinpoint where people come from.

Christmas markets are not a new thing but in recent years their popularity has soared.  It was once if you wanted to experience such a thing you had to fly to the continent for a jolly and indeed such trips are still popular but now we have our very own in most towns and cities; some are incredible.  But for me the Scandinavian market, although not the biggest nor the best to be found is still my very favourite of them all.

On a small section of the road nestled between the Norwegian and  Finnish church in Rotherhithe, South London on the penultimate weekend in November every year you will hear the singalong voices of joyous Scandinavians.  An important market for those unable to travel back to their homeland for Christmas, where they can pick up food delicacies not found in an  English superstore.  Where wearing a National costume is not out of place and where copious amounts of black coffee, open sandwiches, pølse (hot dogs) and waffles are consumed.

Scandinavian market London

A market is a place where friends who may not have seen each other for sometime meet up and goodies are bought.  I meet with my mother's Norwegian 'Klub' friend and daughter this year who I had not seen in over 15years as well as meeting my aunt and a dear dear friend.  Whilst waiting for them to arrive I perched on a cold bench outside the Norwegian Seaman church and began to knit.

Public knitting in London

Not looking up and concentrating on knitting I had not noticed two women stop at the side of the park, one who whispered to the other ,  'She must be Norwegian, look she's knitting,' to the other who was squinting at her phone trying to text me to say they had arrived, when looking up, the two of them together thought, is that Selma knitting over there in the park?  Firstly I needed to remind them that knitting has had a resurgence in the past few years and the Scandinavians are not the only ones who knit and secondly, I secretly wondered if their glasses prescription may need upping a bit! And yes, they took a photo of me!

Knitting outside the Norwegian
Seaman Church, London

Small details on the Norwegian church

A native Norwegian in her bunad and s
selling lots of 'nisse' like Christmas decorations

In Norway, we decorate anything that stays still long enough for Christmas

The Danes were there too

As were the Finnish, but not the Swedes, their church is a
short tube ride away, also on the same weekend
but I never seem to manage to make it there, one day!

A Finn perusing the wares in the Norwegian church

Just loved the clever name

The brewery between the fjords
and mountains in beautiful Flåm

And for those of you interested there was the new microbrewery from Norway selling their beer too, lovely website, do go and have a look.  Microbrewing in Norway

Toilet humour

As always before a long journey home I like to make use of the facilities, this time in the Finnish church and had to smile at seeing this framed picture next to the toilet.

~ On the journey home I reflected on the richness of my heritage and was not for the first time grateful laden down with kitchen goodies ready to make for the coming festive season...

♥  Sending you warm wishes wherever you are  ♥