This is another spread from my Christmas journal. I wanted to document the decorating of the tree and the differences I find between England and Sweden. I have been grown up with the tradition of taking in and decorating the tree on the 23rd of December. Christmas is celebrated on the 24th. You do see inside Christmas trees up before this in Sweden, but I also do think that the 23rd is probably the most common day to do your tree on.In England not so. Here (I get the feeling?) it's a lot more "random" when you do it. I love Christmas so we do it early...last week in Nov/first in Dec. That seems to be about as early as you decorate the tree here in the UK. As you go for a walk, lots and lots of trees are up in houses by mid December. So different from Sweden and so interesting. I love it as we always get to decorate the tree twice (in different countries!) :)
I spent one Christmas in Sweden so many years ago.... and the difference between a Canadian tree and Swedish tree were so noticeable. My boyfriend did not put one up and we only went to his parent's place on the 23rd in the evening so I don't recall when it went up but it was the decorations that struck me the most. The Swedish version had less "stuff" in the tree, only white lights and had a garland of flags - some from Sweden and some from Finland (where his mother came from).
ReplyDeleteDifferent traditions but so much fun to reminisce.
Jane in Ottawa, Canada
This year we put our Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve, usually we do it the week before Christmas Day. The kids decorated it while I went for a well earned and relaxing bath.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and her husband have had their tree up since 1st week of December and they also have a gazillion lights and animated characters in their garden, it lights up the whole house and indeed the street!