Midsummer - this coming Sunday, February 19th

Bring your family and friends and come celebrate Midsummer with us. We are planning to make this years midsummer extra special by treating you to some Swedish style Strawberry Cake (Jordgubbstårta) so this year we do require a RSVP from all of you who intend to come. (To help us gauge how many cakes to bring).

We will celebrate the Swedish way by decorate the maypole, dance around it, have a picnic and for the children – Fiskedamm.

Throughout the day there will be a Kubb Tournament going so please bring a few mates and put together a Kubb Tournament team.

For a more detailed programme of the day please see our latest newsletter: http://www.sweden.org.nz/SweNZ/Welcome_files/newsletter.pdf

- Bring greenery and flowers to decorate the maypole

- Bring a blanket and picnic for you and your family

- Bring friends and family (no need to be a member of the association)

Please note: Come rain, come shine - We will celebrate regardless of the weather. If it pours with rain, we will use the fabulous girl guide indoor facilities which are there for us to use... (Kubb game will be replaced with indoor competitions in such case)

Date: Sunday 19th of February

Place: Huntleigh Girl Guide Hall Park in Crofton Downs – 48 Silverstream Road

Time: from 11 am (see programme in our latest newsletter)

Please RSVP to eva@sweden.org.nz (to help us gauge how any cakes and Fiskedamm gifts to bring)

See you there!

Kaleidoscope of European Carols, this Sunday, 11 December at 7pm

Christmas is getting closer and to help you get into the spirit of Christmas the European Forum is organising the 20th (!!) Kaleidoscope of European Carols this Sunday, 11 December at 7pm at the Botanic Gardens Sound Shell.


The Sweden-New Zealand Association will, as always, get up on stage and sing a few well known Swedish Christmas Carols - come and join in! If you don't want to enter the stage with us, please come and cheer us on!

There is no entry fee to this event, however, as always, the European Forum will be raising money for the New Zealand Red Cross by selling European Christmas baking, cold drinks, coffee, tea and candles.

If you can contribute any Christmas baking that would be much appreciated! Please make sure to wrap any baking in individual packages suitable for selling and labelled with the ingredients. Please bring the baking with you on the night and give it to one of the volunteers standing behind the baking stall at the entrance to the Sound Shell by 6.45pm. The European Forum is happy to reimburse your expenses, this will be arranged on the night.

The European Forum still need volunteers to help behind the cake stall and put up flags before the event. They also need to borrow a Christmas tree for the stage on the night, with lights and tinsel if possible. Let us know if you or someone you know can help with any of this.

If the weather is good then it will be a special evening, candlelit and filled with the Christmas spirit. If, on the other hand, the weather is wet or dubious, please listen to the Cancellations after the 8am news on Radio 2ZB.

Bring Glögg, coffee or tea, Bring a blanket to sit on, Bring a jersey (it can get chilly when the sun goes down), Bring family and friends, Bring your Christmas Spirit - See you there!

Did you know you can watch the Swedish TV Advent Calendar online from New Zealand?
Check: http://svtplay.se/t/169547/tjuvarnas_jul
1st episode today.

Christmas Party - THIS Saturday - Register TODAY!!!

We still have some tickets available for our annual Christmas party, this coming Saturday 3rd December. Be in quick to grab a seat !


Traditional Swedish Christmas Dinner with all that it entails! Schnaps, Allsång, långdans!!

You need to bring a plate for the Smorgasbord!. But make sure you call or email Cherie(cherie@sweden.org.nz, 04-4756180). She will guide you as to what to bring, this way we won't get too many meatballs or Jansson and it will all balance.

It is vitally important that you pre-register as this totally Popular annual event has NO DOOR SALES!

Registration form in our latest newsletter. Did you know you can also register online? -  visit http://www.swenztaste.co.nz/SENZ-Xmasparty.html to register and pay online.

Member and Non-members welcome! See you there.

1st of Advent today - 27 November

On the 1st of Advent, in Sweden people light the first candle in the Advent candlestick. This is always a special event, eagerly awaited. Each Sunday until Christmas, a new candle is lit (and blown out after a while), until all four candles are alight. The children’s expectations grow with every candle. On TV, there is a special Christmas calendar show for the young with 24 episodes. It, too, serves as a countdown to the big day.

Advent means arrival, or coming, and since the 5th century AD has heralded the Christmas season and the birth of Christ. Since the 1890s, the custom in Sweden has been to light a candle every Sunday during Advent. The Moravian custom of hanging a star made from paper, straw or chipwood in windows also found its way to Sweden in the 1930s, recalling the star that guided the Three Wise Men. The advent calendar dates from around this time as well. Children open a window in the calendar for each passing day until Christmas Eve.

(source: Sweden.se)