If I look on Twitter I’m surprised that #Scandinavian is not trending at the moment, because recently everything I come across has a Scandivanian bent.  And it’s not suprising, because, let it be said, the Scandinavians truly know how to do Christmas.

I had the fortune to spend six years of my childhood in Copenhagen and those Christmases in Denmark remain, to this day, the most magical of my life. Admittedly, they were also the years when I believed in Santa Claus… but there was more to it than that. There was the trek to the local forest (instead of the local B&Q) to cut down our own tree, the charming array of traditional wooden decorations (forget the tinsel), the lighting of advent candles (instead of opening chocolate advent calendars), the smell of Gløgg (just sounds more inviting than Mulled Wine) and the taste of spiced gingerbread (which I crave every December).

So, it was a particular thrill to discover the Scandanavian Kitchen, a small café just a block away from the A&B office, on Great Titchfield Street, where I found, to my utmost delight, the small Danish semi-spherical Peppernodder biscuits I used to devour over Xmas as a child.  It’s worth passing by café simply for the pleasure of seeing their daily chalk board. Who doesn’t like a Nordic pun?

Then this week’s Emerald Street newsletter arrived in my inbox flagging up a Spiced Gingerbread cake recipe from the cookbook Scandinavian Christmas. (I will be trying this recipe this weekend.)  Amongst the decorations highlighted in the Metro today was the Nordic-inspired tabletop tree from John Lewis.  (Currently out of stock, I note, so obviously popular!) And I stumbled across this lovely hanging advent calendar on notonthehighstreet.com (love this website) where you can place a treat in each pocket.

And of course, it would be remiss of me not to suggest our Kjell Eriksson crime novels (set in Sweden) if you’re looking for a Nordic-themed gift for any book lovers…

So, there you have it – a few bits and bobs to get you in the Scandinavian Christmas spirit.  Glaedelig Jul!

Chiara Priorelli, Publicity & Online Marketing Manager