Swedish heritage

My daughter and I, along with Aria, visited the Swedish Institute during the Christmas season.  I had been there once when I was quite young so my memory of it was quite vague.  It was exciting to see it through the eyes of an older me.  We didn't do a whole lot of Swedish traditions growing up, but I always have been interested in learning more.  I definitely feel I have a Scandinavian personality....melancholy and restrained as well as a love for simplicity and sparse surroundings.

Here a couple photos of a Swedish table and Norwegian table set for a Christmas feast:

                                                                            
                                                                    Swedish

                                          Norwegian

I did comment that I don't think my family ever had a holiday table that looked any thing like these.

Here is Aria looking like a reluctant Santa Lucia...

When done touring, we stopped at the café and enjoyed some pretty fancy Scandinavian treats

I hope to someday take Melody for a tour as she seems a bit interested in her Swedish side.  She had a paper taped to her bedroom door that stated she was part "Sweetish" which I found quite cute.  She also proclaims that she is part Mexican and part Swedish. 
Thank you, Olivia, for the fun day.

Thought:  We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies. ~Shirley Abbott