Happy October!

In honor of Sweden and Me launching on October 1st, I wanted to kick things off with a blog about Sweden in the Fall.

Fall, or höst, is my favorite time of the year in Sweden. The Fall season runs from September to October / November, depending mostly on where in this long country you live. In Southern Sweden, the temperatures are much more mild and Fall can feel like a blink and you’ll miss it moment.

So what makes this season so great in Sweden?

First, I love the general sense of coziness it brings. While Swedes embrace coziness, or mysig, year around, I think Fall has a monopoly on cozy time here in Sweden as you get the first hints of winter approaching after the long summer days. And I’m not the only one to think this! There is even a term höstmys that translates to autumn coziness. See my höstmystips below to create a Swedish höst starter kit!

Second, the changing of the leaves signals your last chance to really enjoy being outside before the impending darkness. Cue Ned Stark’s “Winter is coming.” Some of my favorite autumn activities include apple picking (Kivik is the place to be for this) and hiking (I’d highly recommend Söderåsen National Park in October!). This höst I want to try svampplockning (mushroom picking)! Hello, chanterelles!

Third, after the long days of the Swedish summer (some parts even get 24 hours of daylight!) I am ready to welcome back darker nights. This might not be a very popular opinion with the summer-loving Swedes, but I find it hard to get to bed on time when the sun sets at 23:00! I miss my full eight hours of sleep at night when I have work the next morning and the sun is peaking through my curtains at 4:00… Hey, maybe that is why Swedes take all of July off? But more on that later.

• When I say “long country” I mean long country. Sweden is 1,572 km / 976 mi long North to South!
• The Fall officially began on September 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere and will end on December 21st, 2020.
• The official arrival of vintertid, or winter time, is October 25th when we will change our clocks in Sweden one hour back to soak up all of the (near nonexistent) light we can.

• Break out the blankets. Fall is all about getting cozy, so get some nice wool blankets to toss on the couch to snuggle up in. My favorite Swedish brand is Stackelbergs.
• Stock up your tea. There is nothing like the smell of a steaming cup of chai tea to ring in the Fall season.
• Light some candles. Swedes typically go for unscented candles so they can light a whole bunch without creating an overwhelming scent in the house. I however, love to light one scented candle to really set the tone. Skandinavisk is my favorite.
• Slip on some slippers. Most Swedish homes have hardwood floors, not carpet like we are used to in the US. I would highly recommend keeping your feet warm in a pair of slippers. As you don’t wear shoes inside in Sweden, feel free to bring them with you when you visit a friend’s house on a cold winter’s day too! Or, if they are a really good host, you might be welcomed to a basket of them by the door! My favorite brand is Danish, but Shepherd is another great option if you want to stay loyal to the Swedes.

• Sweden.se – Seasons and Climate
• Daylight Savings Hours