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Yesterday after talking to my best friend Debbie and Renee I decided I needed a break from work. I shut my bedroom door and Bear and I got my drink and I grabbed a book I had been wanting to read. I picked up Swedish Christmas: The Simple Gift of Togetherness, Tradition & Joy by Kortney Yasenka and Karen Johnson Yasenka,

Even though I like to wait and read books about Christmas after Thanksgiving there was something about this book that was calling my name. I thought it would be a beautiful Christmas book. After spending time looking through it, I realized it is so much more than that.

The book is part cookbook. It is part cultural guide. It is part family activity book. It can be used for #Homeschooling. And for our family, it can even become a collection of #teachingmoments. Which you know I always love finding in the books I choose to read and share with my friends and family. Sometimes you open one thinking you’re going to learn one thing, and before you know it, you’ve discovered ten more things you want to explore.

One of the first things that caught my attention was the introduction: Christmas: Light, Food, and Togetherness. I love that. Because when you think about Christmas, those three things really can bring a family together. Or it does for my family. What about with your family?

The book explains how Christmas in Sweden is a season rather than simply one day, filled with traditions that bring warmth and light during the darkest part of winter. The authors draw upon Swedish traditions passed down through generations, including those Kortney learned through her mother’s Swedish heritage.

The book was also created in loving memory of beloved parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who taught the family how to fill their home with the warmth, joy, and light of a Swedish Christmas. That makes this book feel personal from the beginning. It isn’t simply telling us what Swedish Christmas looks like. It is showing us how traditions can be passed from one generation to another.

Advent: A Season of Light is one of the first traditions explored in the book. That immediately caught my attention because Advent fits beautifully with our own Christmas traditions and our Christmas Gift Guide and Wish List series, especially when we talk about Advent calendars and stocking stuffers.

But the book takes Advent beyond simply counting down to Christmas. It talks about light. Candles. Stars. Windows glowing during the dark winter evenings. I learned something new when I read about Swedish window lights and now I understand why people used them.

The book explains how lights in windows have served as guiding beacons and how the electric Advent candle, often featuring seven lights, became a December tradition in Swedish homes. Paired with paper stars, these lights can transform an entire neighborhood into softly glowing winter scenes.

I love that the lights aren’t about impressing everyone with the biggest or most elaborate Christmas display. They’re about comfort, connection, and bringing brightness into the darkest season. That is a Christmas lesson I can get behind. Can you and your family?

Then we come to Saint Lucia Day, the Festival of Lights. This is something I would have loved having available when we were homeschooling. Saint Lucia gives us an opportunity to learn about another culture and another Christmas tradition while talking about light, service, history, and celebration.

And it doesn’t have to stop with reading about it. We could listen to music, talk about the tradition, look at pictures, and create our own paper stars or another Swedish-inspired Christmas craft. That is what makes this book so interesting to me. I keep finding ways to turn what I’m reading into something our family could actually do.

There is also a section about decorating for Christmas that really made me stop. The book reminds us that decorations aren’t meant to overwhelm us or the holidays. They’re meant to enhance the beauty that already exists. I love that. Especially because sometimes Christmas decorating can become a competition.

More lights. More decorations. More everything. But there is something beautiful about remembering that our decorations should help create warmth rather than create stress. And I think that is a lesson worth carrying into any holiday. It’s also something I will be sharing with my friends and family.

The book also talks about the Dala horse, which is connected to Swedish craftsmanship, strength, and heritage. I couldn’t help wondering if the beautiful little figures on the cover might be Dala horses. Either way, they immediately caught my eye and made me want to learn more.

Then I discovered Fika. And I think this might be something David and Charlie and I need to try. Fika isn’t simply grabbing a cup of coffee and running back to whatever you were doing. The book encourages setting aside a specific time to pause. Enjoy the taste. Enjoy the aroma. Enjoy the texture of your food.

Put down the distractions. Don’t multitask. Just enjoy the moment and the people you’re sharing it with. That sounds pretty wonderful to me. I can just imagine sitting down with David and Charlie and announcing: “Okay, everybody. We’re having a Fika break.” I would love to see the looks on their faces. Wouldn’t you?

And the wonderful thing is that Fika doesn’t require one specific treat. The book encourages you to customize it with traditional Swedish baked goods or contemporary favorites. So we could try Swedish treats—or simply choose something our family enjoys and use the time to slow down and be together.

My family was excited to be introduceds to several Swedish treats, including: Kanelbullar — Swedish cinnamon buns. Princess cake, or Prinsesstårta — a beautiful dome-shaped cake traditionally made with layers of sponge cake, vanilla custard, raspberry jam, and whipped cream, covered in green marzipan and often topped with a pink marzipan rose.

I have to admit, when I read about the Princess Cake, I immediately thought about Suzanne. She would have loved the idea of a princess cake. That would have been fun to make together. There are also chocolate balls and Kladdkaka, a Swedish sticky chocolate cake.

Now, that chocolate cake sounds like something I would be very interested in trying! And then there is the tradition of seven types of cookies. I’m telling you, this little book keeps giving us more things to explore. Not only that but anything that has 7 Cookies in it you can bet I want a part of.

The book becomes almost like a cookbook as you continue reading. There are breads, cheeses, side dishes, accompaniments, and classic Swedish dishes. Some of the Swedish names are words I’ve never heard before, much less know how to pronounce. And you know what? That’s another #teachingmoment.

It could also lead to a lot of laughter around our house as we all attempt to pronounce the words correctly. I can already hear us. “Did I say that right?” “Nope.” “Try again.” Then us all laughing as we try and get David and Charlie to say the words again and them refusing over and over.

And Buttercup I have one observation about the ingredients: Butter is a beloved staple in Swedish life. Well, I can understand that. Because Buttercup, I’m from the South and you can’t cook if you don’t got at least a pound of butter! Because that’s part of Southern life too.

The book also introduces readers to the Julbord, the traditional Swedish Christmas table filled with classic dishes. This is another opportunity to learn about how another culture celebrates Christmas through food. And I love that the book doesn’t simply tell us about the food. It gives us recipes. So if we decide we want to try something, we actually have a place to start.

Then there is Tomten which I had never learned about Tomten before reading this book. Tomten comes from Scandinavian folklore and is one of the traditional figures associated with the season. Another #teachingmoment! which I love because not only can I teach my friends and family I will be learning as well.

This could become a family history or folklore lesson, especially if you’re homeschooling or simply enjoy learning together. We could compare Swedish Christmas folklore with the traditions our own family grew up with. That’s the kind of learning I enjoy most—when one question leads to another.

Another thing the book emphasizes is that Christmas Eve is not about extravagance. It is about intention. That really stood out to me. Because Christmas can become so busy. Shopping, cooking, wrapping presents and decorating. Running from one place to another. And somewhere along the way, we can forget to actually enjoy Christmas. This book keeps bringing us back to the people, the traditions, the food, the light, and the time we spend together.

The book even takes us into Christmas games, songs, and folklore. One Swedish Christmas song mentioned is “Nu tändas tusen juleljus.” This would have made a wonderful homeschool music lesson. We could listen to the song, learn about it, discuss its meaning, and then talk about how different cultures use music to celebrate Christmas. Again… a #teachingmoment. That phrase kept coming to mind as I went through the book.

Christmas Day brings a quieter joy. And then eventually comes Saint Knut’s Day, when it is time to say goodbye to Christmas. That part made me a little sad. Because isn’t that how Christmas feels? We spend so much time preparing. We finally arrive. We enjoy it. And then suddenly it is time to take everything down. Christmas is over. But I like that Swedish traditions give us a way to think about the entire season—not just December 25.

Another thing I appreciate about this book is that it doesn’t feel like something you read once in December and forget about. The traditions and cultural information can become learning opportunities throughout the year. You can learn about Swedish culture. You can learn new words.

You can explore recipes and you can study folklore. You can listen to music. You can make crafts. You can talk about family traditions. You can compare your family’s Christmas traditions with Swedish traditions. For a homeschooling family, there are so many possibilities here.

And even though Charlie has graduated, I still enjoy discovering things that make me say, “I wish we had known about this when we were homeschooling!” And then, toward the end, the book gives us something I really appreciate: Recipes. Not just descriptions of food. Actual recipes with instructions.

There are quite a few of them, which means this isn’t a book you’re going to read once and put away. There are things to make. Things to taste and things to share. And one recipe that immediately caught my attention was the Swedish hard candies. The ingredients include sugar, dark syrup, butter, heavy cream, and blanched almonds. Doesn’t that sound good? I think that is one we need to try. And if we do, I’ll let you know how it turns out!

After spending time with Swedish Christmas: The Simple Gift of Togetherness, Tradition & Joy, I don’t see this as simply a Christmas decorating book or even simply a cookbook. It’s a book about experiencing Christmas differently. It’s about light. Food and family. Tradition and culture. Learning. And slowing down enough to enjoy the people sitting beside you.

I can see us using it for our Christmas Gift Guide and Wish List, especially alongside our Advent calendar and stocking stuffer ideas. I can see Santa loading the sleigh with copies of the book to give to families for Christmas. I can see it becoming part of our Christmas teaching moments and being used year to year and handed down through our families.

I can see crafts coming from it, recipes and music. Family conversations. And maybe even a Fika afternoon around our kitchen table. Most of all, I love that the book reminds us that Christmas doesn’t have to be about doing more. Sometimes it is about doing things with more intention.

The book itself is small enough that it could almost fit inside your purse, but don’t let its size fool you. There is a lot packed inside. If you enjoy Christmas traditions, Scandinavian culture, cooking, baking, crafts, family activities, or simply learning something new, this is a book you can sit down with and keep discovering.

And for families, I think that’s where the real gift is. You don’t have to be Swedish and you don’t have to have Swedish roots. You don’t have to completely turn your home into a Swedish Christmas home. You can simply open the book and find one tradition that speaks to your family.

Maybe it’s Advent or it might be Saint Lucia. Maybe it’s the lights in the windows or it might be Fika. Maybe it’s a cinnamon bun or the Princess Cake. Maybe it’s a Swedish song or making paper stars together. Or maybe it’s sitting around the table, laughing while everyone tries to pronounce a Swedish word.

For me, that’s what makes this book special. It’s so much more than learning how to turn your home into a Swedish home. It’s an invitation to slow down, learn something new, make something together, and create memories with the people you love. And isn’t that what Christmas should be about? Togetherness, tradition, and joy.

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About: Swedish Christmas: The Simple Gift of Togetherness, Tradition & Joy by Kortney Yasenka (Author), Karen Johnson Yasenka (Author)

Bring the warmth, beauty, and meaning of a Swedish Christmas into your home.

In Sweden, Christmas is more than a single day—it is a season of light, gathering, and cherished traditions that transform the darkest days of winter into a celebration of warmth and togetherness.

Swedish Christmas invites readers on a cozy journey through the Scandinavian holiday season, exploring the customs, foods, and rituals that have brought families together for generations. From the anticipation of Advent and the candlelit beauty of St. Lucia Day to festive baking, comforting fika moments, and the beloved julbord holiday table, each chapter offers inspiration for creating a more intentional and meaningful celebration.

Filled with traditional recipes, cultural insights, and practical ideas for embracing Nordic holiday traditions, this beautifully crafted gift book shows how simple rituals can bring greater joy, connection, and peace to the season.

Inside you’ll discover:

■ The history and meaning behind beloved Swedish Christmas traditions
■ Traditional holiday recipes, baked treats, and festive favorites
■ The role of fika, hospitality, and seasonal gatherings in Swedish culture
■ Ideas for creating meaningful family rituals and holiday memories
■ Inspiration for embracing simplicity, gratitude, and togetherness during the busiest time of year

Perfect for lovers of Scandinavian culture, cozy winter living, holiday traditions, and thoughtful gift books, Swedish Christmas offers a refreshing alternative to the rush and stress of modern celebrations.

Whether you have Swedish roots or are simply drawn to the Nordic way of life, this charming guide will help you slow down, savor the season, and rediscover the true spirit of Christmas—one centered on light, presence, gratitude, and the people you love.

Meet the Author: Swedish Christmas: The Simple Gift of Togetherness, Tradition & Joy by Kortney Yasenka (Author)

Kortney Yasenka, LCMHC, is a licensed clinical mental health counselor who provides individual, family, and group therapy, as well as life coaching services to student athletes. Kortney is certified in trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy and incorporates ecotherapy into treatment sessions. She has a Masters in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology from Northeastern University. Kortney has worked in community mental health, school systems, and private practice.

Thanks to her father, Kortney grew up a huge Cleveland sports fan, which is no easy feat living in New England. She travels to Cleveland to catch a few Guardian’s games each Spring and rarely misses a Browns game, thanks to streaming services. In her free time, she enjoys running, spending time with family, and vacationing on the beautiful island of St. John.

Kortney’s collection of writings is a good representation of how she lives her life. Drawing upon the Swedish traditions instilled in her at an early age due to her mother’s Swedish heritage, Kortney understands the value of living a balanced life.

Disclosure: Greatful Moments received a copy of this book for review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates