Events

Kurre, Fredrik’s uncle, turned 50 and had organized a big party in Köping.

A part from inviting all his friends from Köping and around, he invited his relatives from Danmark and France. Amanda, his daughter, was back from the US and friends from where she stayed for a year, Illinois, came to the party too. Agnes, his other daughter, and Ingela, his wife, with her family were also there. It was a big party with lots of dancing and chatting. Kurre and Ingela had organized a band who entertained us to the full with Swedish songs, jokes and funny stories. The guests themselves did every type of performance, singing, reading a poem, funny presentations or simply standing up to tell about Kurre. The highlight was the performance of Amanda and Agnes who beautifully sang a song to celebrate their father.

The party was great and the fact to meet the big family again was fantastic!!!!

Thank you, Kurre and Ingela!!!

Sabrina and Fredrik

Midsummer Day was originally celebrated on 24 June to commemorate John the Baptist. About 50 years ago, it was moved to the nearest Saturday. The celebrations however take place the day before, Midsummer Eve, this year on Friday 22 June.

In agrarian times, Midsummer celebrations in Sweden were held to welcome summertime and the season of fertility. In some areas, therefore, people dressed up as ‘green men’, clad in ferns. They also decorated their houses and farm tools with foliage, and raised tall, leafy maypoles to dance around, probably as early as the 16th century and modeled on a German tradition.

It was not until the 20th century, however, that this became the most Swedish of all traditional festivities.

Text and information from: http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/CommonPage____11366.aspx

We celebrated Midsummer Eve at Pelle’s, our friend’s summer house outside of Örebro. Since it is such an important holiday for all Swedes and the celebrations take place outdoors, everybody wants it to be a lovely sunny summer day. It didn’t happen this year!!!! It was a grey and rainy day but that didn’t stop us from having great fun. Pelle put up his party tent and from time to time when the rain stopped we played cricket ball and an outdoor quiz where you were supposed to find questions printed on paper somewhere in the garden or on the street. The food we ate was delicious and typical as it should be at Midsummer Eve. For lunch we had different kinds of pickled herring (I love that stuff), boiled fresh potatoes with fresh dill and soured cream. For dinner we had a delicious barbecue with different kinds of meat and fish, I had salmon. Yummy!!! As dessert we had a mouth-watering chocolate cake (thanks to Carola, Stefan’s girl-friend) with fresh strawberries and cream.

The traditional beverages are cold beer and schnapps, preferably spiced. For every time the schnapps glasses are refilled, singing breaks out. Swedes love drinking songs!!!!

We had a great time!!! Thank you, Pelle!!!

Love,

Sabrina and Fredrik

PS: Jätte tack ochså till alla som var med på festen!!!!!

Thank you, Kerstin, for this wonderful surprise party.

Kerstin is Fredrik’s nearly-aunt who knows Fredrik from ever since he was born. We asked her to come to Mexico to be at our wedding and as a gift she invited us for dinner to her house in Gålby just outside of Köping. We expected a quiet dinner with Kerstin and Kurre’s family (Kristensen), who we went with. However, once there we saw some, from our side, unexpected guests, Anna (our travel buddy) from Gotland and her brother, Robert. What a surprise!!! Half an hour later I thought I saw a ghost when Pelle and Stefan from Örebro stood in front of me. We didn’t expect to see them, all the greater was the joy.

It was a beautiful night. The sun didn’t set until late. We had a barbecue and rhubarb pie as dessert. Weeks before in South America I dreamt of rhubarb pie and at Kerstin’s my craving could be satisfied. It was delicious!!!!

Many thanks, Kerstin!!!!

Lots of love,

Sabrina and Fredrik

We have now decided on the date when we will have our "Wedding Party" this time on European ground.

It will take place the 14th of July 2007 in the little German village of Seelenfeld. It is about 40 Minutes from Hannover, 2 hours from Hamburg or 3 1/2 hours from Berlin. This is where I grew up and where my parents live. The party will be in the lovely garden of my parents, where we will have a pavillion right next to the pool. There will be cool disco music, food and lots of beer, "Schnaps" and Cocktails. You should bring your swimming costume, from experience (earlier parties) we know that at some point of the party you will end up in the pool.

Everybody is invited, those who came to our Wedding in Mexico and those who couldn’t make it then. We hope to see you in Seelenfeld, Germany to celebrate all together.

Let us know, via e-mail or the comment option on this web page, if we can count on you.

Lots of love,

Sabrina and Fredrik