Are you all tied up in tinsel? Here’s a piece of gentle Christmas fiction to take you somewhere deep and quiet, out of the rush. Consume with or without Christmas cookies ;)
Scroll down for:
‘The Christmas when Tomten didn’t Come’, a freshly-baked short story just for this newsletter’s subscribers
a Swedish Christmas biscuit recipe
a non-alcoholic ‘spirit of Christmas’ reflection
In my current novel, Emil Lindqvist is the thoughtful, courteous Swedish Consul in 1888 Melbourne. You might have met him as a young man, in another story last year. In this story, he’s a young boy, looking forward to the arrival of the Tomten gnome, on December 24th, when Swedes celebrate Christmas. But Tomten doesn’t come as expected…
The Christmas when Tomten didn’t Come
A short story by Alison Lloyd
Stockholm, 24 December 1863
Emil tripped on the hall runner. He was listening so hard he wasn’t looking.
Since waking he’d been listening for his parents – his father’s tread, his mother’s soft, slow rustling – but he’d only heard the murmur of doors. And Nurse. And his big brother Gustav whispering in his ear that they had to be good today. The Tomten didn’t like lazy workers or rude boys. He brought them trouble instead of gifts.
Emil and Gustav had opened the paper windows on their Advent calendar one by one, day by day, and this morning it was Emil’s turn to open the last one. The 24th. He pried open the cardboard door and there was the Tomten in his pointy red cap, peering out to see if they were ready for Christmas gifts. Emil had laughed, with a shivery rush of excitement.
But after the Advent calendar, the day had missed its footing. It had not gone as Emil thought Christmas was meant to…
For the rest of this story, and more like it:
Swedish Pepparkakor Cookies
For more Scandinavian flavour, here is a traditional recipe that I brought back from Sweden as a girl. I’ve scaled quantities down and converted measurements. I like mine spicey so I heap the teaspoons.
1/2 cup golden syrup or treacle
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
125g (4oz) butter
1/2 cup cream
500g (1 pound) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Stir the syrup with the sugar, spice, softened butter. Add cream. Dissolve the baking powder in a little water and add with part — not all — of the flour. The dough should be firm, not sticky. Cover and refrigerate overnight or longer. The dough keeps fine for a few days. Take it out and let it warm up a bit. Knead, working in remaining flour. Cut the dough into manageable portions and roll thin, 3-4mm. (Pepparkakor are crispy, not like gingerbread.) Cut shapes and bake at 175-200C or 400F, for 5 minutes or so. If the cookies spread, or the dough is sticky or oily to touch, work more flour into it.
…And a Final Reflection
I love the feasting at Christmas time. But, we know Christmas is about more than food and drink. It’s about family, and togetherness, and peace on earth, yes?
Even that is selling Christmas short. Historically, Christmas is the commemoration of Christ. The eternal God who packed Himself up small and arrived in His creation. He came to share the world’s joys and its mess. He didn’t have to. That’s commitment to family, you might say. It is an act of astounding and profound togetherness, worth every bit of celebration.
Wishing you peace and joy, however you’re spending your holiday season!
Beautiful Alison and as always I wasn’t sure where this was going.
Enjoy the peppakakor