White Christmas

So I guess I haven’t been totally clear on what my own holiday decorating theme is this year. While I totally preferred the mid century crafty theme out of the BHG photos in my poll last week I’m going for a white Christmas this year.

 

At least it’s white right now. We’ll see what happens when the tree goes up around mid December. Love my new piggies by the way. They were the other thing I got from that shop you all liked so much, Village.

 

Also up are my feather trees. These were samples from work years ago but I think you could totally make your own with Styrofoam cones and feathers.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I wonder why we have pigs for Christmas over here?! Are pigs part of your traditional holiday décor in your countries? I guess it must have to do with us eating ham as the main course on Christmas Eve?! Otherwise, odd!

So White Woodland With Pigs is my theme of choice 2010.

Comments

[Älvan]

How are the cats handling the feather trees? Our cats would kill them!

[Jo]

I'm sure in one way or another many of us are dreaming of a white christmas.
Ours will be a little blue though this year.
A couple of weeks ago you said you treasure every day with Mini because you almost lost her when she was hit by that car..
Well we lost our puppy Nikki yesterday, so today please give Mini an extra hug from me... and thank you, because your blog makes me smile everyday... even days like yesterday.
Jo xx

[Monica]

Jo -
So very sorry to hear about your puppy.
Monica

[Nolwenn]

I'm so sorry about your puppy, Jo... *big hugs*

[Leena]

So sad, sorry to hear about your puppy

[Leena]

Love the theme! Pigs a big holiday hit here in Finland too, most commonly in form of gingerbread and ham.

[Carlos]

No problems actually. They are on one of the cube shelves above the desk in my craft corner and don't seem to grab Mini's or Bonus' attention at all.

[Carlos]

I'm so, so sorry, Jo. Sending a hug your way!

[Judith]

Heartfelt condolences, Jo. I'm so sorry about Nikki.

[Monica]

In Germany pigs are not used at Christmas , but they are a huge part of New Year's decor.

[Siri]

Oh no! I`m tearing up here Jo! That`s so sad to hear! I hope you and Bill are ok. Big hug!

[Siri]

I`ve never seen a pig decoration here in Norway. Depending on where in Norway people are from - it`s either salted and dried rib of mutton, turkey, cod or pork on Christmas eve. I guess if there is an animal that is typical for Christmas decorations in Norway - it has to be "halm bukken" - you know a goat made of straw. That tradition goes back to Norse mythology so I guess you have it over in Sweeden as well? But we have the marsipan pig though..

[Carlos]

We do have the "halmbock" over here too. Tey put a giant one up in a town called Gävle every year and every year someone burns it down.

[eni]

I have always wondered what it was all about with the pigs for christmas in sweden, but nobody seems to know. The ham would be an explanation, but you eat other things for christmas as well and nobody decorates with fish...
Curious to hear more opinions!
Eni

[Carlos]

Ham is the main course of the Christmas Eve dinner (much like the turkey is for Thanksgiving in the US) though so that might explain it. Now that I think more about it I guess in the olden days the pig was slaughtered for Christmas so it might actually make sense.

[Karin]

So sorry to hear about your puppy, Jo! :(

The pigs are a Norse mythology thing... From what I've read, the boar was sacrificed in honor of Frej (Freyr) to bring good luck in the new year. The pig's head (with an apple in the mouth, of course) was put on the table, and people would whisper their wishes in its ear, to be heard by Frej and hopefully answered. I think it's really interesting how long the tradition of having a pig's head on the dinner table survived in Sweden - given the obvious grossness of the thing! :D Norse mythology and it's influence on Scandinavian culture is really interesting in general.

[Karin]

And here's a pic for our non-Swedish friends. Does this not creep you out??

http://webnews.textalk.com/upload/article/bild/5/293288/DSCF0011_s.JPG

[Petit Filoux]

Definitely no pigs in France and in the UK!
Love the feather trees!

[Robyn]

I'm going for a white and silver theme this Christmas.

Loving the feather cone trees, Martha's got a tutorial on how to do them on her website and they are really easy to make.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/feather-tree

BTW - Going to a Scandanavian Christmas Market this weekend. Didn't know they had them in Australia. REALLY looking forward to it!

[Angie]

I'm half Brazilien, half German, and we don't use pigs for X-Mas decoration in neither of those countries :-) Btw, talking about X-Mas decoration, I'm totally behind! Have to catch up quickly :-)
Cheers, Angie

[Tena]

HI, I'm from Croatia and I haven't seen pig decorations here. But, traditionally we eat turkey for Christmas day lunch, and pork (with an apple in the mouth, of course) for New Years. It's said that it's because the turkey throws dirt with its feet behind itself (the end of a year), and a pig pushes it forward with its nose (the beginning).
And I love how you incorporate intercultural learning in your blog :)

[Sara]

I'm so very sorry, Jo. There's just nothing like losing your best friend. xo

[Shannon]

Pigs are a symbol of fertility and also of the goddess Frigga. Here is more information - mostly food related. http://www.food-links.com/countries/sweden/special-occasions-sweden.php

[Lizzy]

I live in the U.S., and while some people (usually families of German origin, I think, like my mom's family) eat ham for Christmas, we definitely do not decorate with pigs. In the U.S., there's not a standard main course for the Christmas meal: Some families have fish (common for Catholics, right? I'm thinking of bacalao from Spain and the feast of the seven fishes from Italy), a beef roast, ham, or turkey.

However, I think that both your toadstools and pigs are so cute!

[Ana]

Benita, I couldn't help but laugh, imagining Christmas decorations here in Portugal, if we were to follow your trend about the pigs!! We eat codfish on Christmas Eve Dinner! Wouldn't it be funny to have loads of cods hanging on a Christams Tree?! Instead, we hang bells, angels, stars and all sorts of sparkling lights.

Merry Christmas tu you and Will!

Ana
Braga - Portugal

[Karin]

Very sorry to hear it, Jo. Hugs from a Toronto Chez Larsson fan.

[Kathleen S.]

Some of us use the Swedish advent wreath in the US, but no pigs. I guess appeals to Frej/Freyr or Frigga didn't survive relocation. The cute feather trees would end up as a white Christmas inside the house The cats wwould love making a feather storm. Your cats must be much more civilized. I especially like your dotted shrooms, how clever! I'll look forward to seeing the rest of your lovely ideas! Have a wonderful Christmas!

[Jessica]

I'm chuckling at the pigs! Definitely no Pigs in Pennsylvania. My Christmas decor this year is anything that my kitten can't attack....my little tree made it 6 hours....

[Lisen]

Oh no... I too am sorry for you.

[Lisen]

Ahh, never knew that. And I think the Christmas goat is even wierder. I know that before Santa brought the gifts, they used to be brought by the Christmas goat- how freaky is that?! I was scared enough of Santa* when I was a kid, had it been a goat I think I would still be traumatized...
*(In Sweden "Santa"= a dressed up adult relative, actually comes around on Christmas eve and hands out the gifts.)

[Tina]

I found some lovely white Santas at Village + another local store, I loved the simplicity with them. :-)

[Vicki K]

While we don't really decorate with pigs in the US, I have seen a lot of stores offering the Peppermint Pig. It's a candy pig that is supposed to be broken (with a hammer) and then everyone eats a piece for good fortune in the new year.
I don't know how common this tradition is in the US - but someone must be buying those Peppermint Pigs!

[Kari]

I am so sorry about your puppy.

[jja]

Pigs in Germany (but not for Christmas) are symbols of luck.

[Leslie]

I think winter white is so chic! And I adore winter woodland pig theme. Look forward to more pics.

[Nichole@40daysof]

I was really wondering about the pigs! It made me think of David Sedaris' bit about the Easter Bell in France. I bet he would have a field with the Christmas Pigs. :)

[Lisa Flaherty]

Love that!

[Lisa Flaherty]

Great story! Thanks for sharing it!

[Jennifer in France]

The chocolate bells are for the church bells which bring chocolates. I have never heard of French eating rabbits for Easter, even though they do not have the Easter bunny. I was suprised to see the Christmas decorations and cookies shaped like pigs when I first moved to Sweden, though I figured it was from slaughtering the pig for the feast. Here in France, oysters and foie gras are eaten at the end of the year but have yet to see Noel decorations with such shapes.

[esther]

I sort of can't imagine a less Christmassy animal than a pig!

In New Zealand we have a 'traditional' Christmas dinner a lot like the American Thanksgiving dinner. We normally have turkey (although I think this Christmas tradition comes from the UK).

Still with our summer weather, lots opt for a barbeque instead.

We almost always end the meal with a pavlova. Which is a real traditional New Zealand dish. Like a hige marshmallowy merangue topped with cream and berries - YUM!

http://www.kiwiwise.co.nz/recipe/grandma-taylors-pavlova-recipe

[elin har ordet]

I love the christmas tree of feathers, and would love to see how they look like at the top!

[Amy Herbst (Herbst Handmade)]

Oooh, interesting.

[erin lang norris]

I like the idea of a special Christmas Eve dinner! I might have to do that for my husband and I.

I am so scared to get a tree because I know my bruiser boy cat is going to climb to the top and pull off all of the ornaments. Ah! Do yours leave it alone?

[Carlos]

They're just pointy with feathers starting at the very top :).

[Carlos]

The first year Mini ate the string lights so we had to remove them and the next year I used string lights with rubber snowflakes around the bulbs but the following years they've not shown much interest in the trees. I did string the first one up with fishing line when they were kittens and we still only use unbreakable ornaments as a precaution. We don't want any little paws stepping into something that's fallen off the tree:).

[Lisen]

Ehm, isn't Pavlova actually an Australian cake? ;-)
Lisen, who has a Kiwi partner...

[Nancy in Canada]

We too have a very traditional tree with ornaments collected over the years, but one of my favourites that is on my mother's tree is a red celluloid fish, about 6 inches long, that she received as gift when she was a little girl back in the 1930's.

And then there is the tradition of hanging a glass pickle on the tree and the first child that finds the pickle gets a special prize. Aah, the traditions of Christmas.

[esther]

It's a point of much controversy but... we claim it as our own. I think the word on the street here is that the Australian's stole it and are just pretending they invented it. Also Wiki says it was us who cam eup with the goods first - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_%28food%29 - I know, I know, you can't believe everything you read on the internet but .. my rule is that you can if it confirms what you already think is true!!!