Thanksgiving

There is no Thanksgiving in Sweden.  I sincerely didn’t hope you read this title thinking that there was.

However…..

For we Americans who live here, we try to celebrate with family either on Thursday or the weekend that follows.  The toughest part is getting the ingredients needed, but as the American community grows and more Swedes are exposed to our customs, the easier it is to find.  Turkeys were extremely hard to find when I first came here.  Now they are quite easy.  The toughest things are cranberries and pumpkin pie filling.  We didn’t even have pumpkins available 10 years ago, but now they finally sell them so I choose to freeze the filling and use it for my pie.  My other option is to search out a can at some overpriced shop where I have to pay over 10 dollars a can.  No joke!

Cranberries are also becoming easier.  Just 5 years ago they started carrying them, but it was always the week AFTER Thanksgiving and then no one would buy them.  We will see how they do this year, but I have noticed that they now sell frozen ones in case we can’t find fresh.

I also usually get a recording of the Macy’s parade and play it in the background of our dinner.  The Swedes really enjoy the dance numbers.