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Christmas in Sweden

These Web-pages are based on a leaflet issued as a Season's Greetings card by the NBC Defense Dept. of the Swedish National Defense Research Establishment in 1986. Some of the material has been completely re-written or updated, other material has been retained in its original form.

Overview

The Swedish Christmas traditions constitute a delightful mixture of originally pagan rites, derived from the Viking ancestors, and more recently introduced Christian customs. Many of the traditions are quite fascinating from a chemical point of view.
  • Spices are used extensively during Christmas. Many of them contain exotic chemical constituents with sometimes remarkable properties.

     

  • Lutfisk is a peculiar Scandinavian Christmas dish made out of stockfish. It is the most alkaline dish known!

     

  • Christmas cabbage includes, inter alia Brussel sprouts, which contain two potentially anticarcinogenic substances.

  • The Christmas tree is a truly remarkable chemical plant (in both senses of the word).

     

  • Candlelight contributes to that special Christmas atmosphere. What are candlelights, and what happens chemically when you light a candlelight?

     

  • Snow and ice
    form an integral part of the Swedish Christmas. How are the snowflakes formed and why is ice slippery?

     

  • Sparklers produce a rain of sparks. How is that achieved?

     

  • Glögg or hot spicy wine is almost exclusively consumed during the month of December. What does it contain and how can you make it yourself?
 

All images and text © Copyright J Slemmer 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
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Other great web sites: 1. Fitness and exercise information     3. Environment, health and safety Information     4. Where to find a pick-your-own farm    5. Find Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, Hayrides and More     6. Find choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms, precut trees, etc.     8. Free resources to start your own website business.  Chastain Park:  Looking for Chastain Park Concert tickets or directions?  Click here