Julafton, Julklappar and Christmas cheer

I’m sitting here on Boxing Day (26th) feeling that way one feels at this time of year after two days of eating and drinking and knowing that there is still food to consume and drink to be drunk.  Quite sure you all know how that feels!

Anyway, Christmas Eve was a lovely, sunny summer day.  As mentioned this time last year, we celebrate Christmas Eve, which is the norm for most of Europe, with the exception of the UK of course.  This year, we had friends and their children over to help us celebrate.  Like last year, we had herring in mustard sauce, some other Swedish pickled herring, smoked salmon, smoked oysters, salad, rye bread, a giant ham that I fear we will be eating for ever, meatballs, sausages and of course, Janssons Frestelse, or Janssons Temptation. I wrote about his in last year’s Christmas post (linked above), and had planned to include the recipe in this post, but as I looked through the photographs, I realised that yet again I had forgotten to take a picture of it.  We still have some of the ansjovis to make it, so will do so soon and this time have both a photograph and a recipe!

The table before food with beer and snaps glasses at the ready

 Cracker featuring a kiwi in jandals

We open our presents on Christmas Eve, with stockings, British style, on Christmas morning.  I got lots of lovely things, some of which you can see below.

Some of my haul

Earrings from Karl by Boh Runga

Bracelet of semi precious stones made for me by a dear friend

Hope you are all having a wonderful time over the festive season!  I’m off now to have a cup of tea and begin Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”, which has been sitting there for months waiting for long, summer days.