6 ways to celebrate autumn IN SWEDEN
There's that chill in the air that marks summer's end, but fear not! Autumn in Stockholm is a beautiful place to be. Learn how to make the most of the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. It's fall, Swedish-style!
Höstmys
The Swedish concept of mys approximates to the idea of cosiness and is tacked onto many words in Swedish: for example fredagsmys, (Friday cosiness) or kvällsmys (evening cosiness). Höstmys, the autumn version, means whatever makes the colder, darker nights more bearable for you, whether it's snuggling with the person you love, wearing your favourite woolly jumper or filling the house with the smell of baking kanelbulle. Make this concept your own and you'll find fall in Stockholm not just survivable but positively fun!
Harvest Festivals
Autumn traditionally means the harvest - and there are many places to celebrate the gathering of food before winter sets in. These are not just places to try produce but there will usually be festivities to enjoy and activities for children. First prize as always to Skansen for their efforts in giving you a 1900s Swedish Autumn experience. Your local trädgård will also usually have an event, such as the fabulous Rosendals Trädgård, who organise apple tastings and autumn wreath making, but even if there's nothing arranged, there will be seasonal produce on the menu and available to sell in the trädgård shop. And if your children's appreciation of nature tends more to the four-legged variety, your local 4H farm with its petting zoos will also have events, including celebrating 4H day!
Visit a Farmer's Market
You don't need to attend a festival to enjoy the bounty of the harvest though! Stockholm's farmer's markets come alive in the autumn, where the best produce from around Sweden can be found - organic, local and delicious. For those living near school, there's a market right on your doorstep at Tessinparken, but there is also a great one at Katerina Bangata, on Södermalm.
All about Apples
One of the big stars of the harvest is the humble apple, or not so humble (there's even a two-day festival dedicated to it in Kivik, down in Skåne). There's the opportunity to pick apples (and other seasonal produce) at orchards such as Rosenhill and Ulriksdal Castle Gardens. You can even get them pressed into äppelmust, raw pressed unsweetened juice - the taste of autumn (a must, in more than one way). If you like your apples with a bit more sugar, check your bakeries for äpplepaj, Swedish apple crumble - or use those Swedish apples in your own international recipes.
Mushroom picking
Mushrooms are even more sacred than apples at this time; Swedes take their foraging seriously! If you're knowledgeable about mushrooms or know a Swede who is, the forest can be full of treasures from precious Karl Johans to golden Chanterelles (although always be careful with mushrooms). Make sure you've got the correct clothing, a guidebook and tools and even if you find nothing, it'll be a wonderful walk through the forest. If you really want to make sure you find something, you can even hire an expert, but that can be quite pricey - better to find a friend who can take you into fungi town.
Take photos of the Autumn colours
Even if it's getting colder, it's a delight to explore Stockholm's many parks and beauty spots in the autumn with the leaves changing colours. Layer up, bring a flask of varm choklad and take lots of photos - this city is just beautiful! Hopefully, you will experience the Swedish phenomenon of Brittsommar (British Summer), a period of beautiful sunny days in the autumn. This phrase may make you wonder if Swedes have ever been in Britain, but it also refers to Britta, St. Birgitta, whose canonisation was on 7th October. Whatever the origins, we're hoping for sunshine this fall.