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Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Ruby Tuesday - Christmas Windows

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One of Stockholm's well-reputed bakeries with café is Gunnarsson. A place where the prices most certainly match the more than slightly hyped reputation. However, they do make lovely window displays for every occasion and holiday. If not fancying buying their bread and cakes one can at least always feast the eyes on these displays when passing by.

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There are a plethora of traditional and not so traditional Swedish Christmas breads, cakes and cookies on display in these windows resting on the pretty lingonberry fabric. There are "pepparkakor" (gingerbread), "klenäter" (crullers), "mandelflarn" (almondflakes), "struvor" (fritters) and "marsipangrisar" (marzipan pigs), English fruitcakes and "julvört" (Christmas wort bread) and much more...

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Even if having an electric advent candlestick isn't compulsory in Sweden one might think it is when strolling the streets, any street in any city or village here this time of the year. Because almost every household and every workplace have at least one of these beauties (that comes in different shapes and forms) that light up the Scandinavian winter darkness from Advent Sunday to at least St Knut's Day. It is both a pretty as well as comforting sight, when dusk arrives so early in the day for us up here in the once cold North.

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Yes, somewhat cold and dark it might be here, but at least this Knut is a red and happy kind of chap ~

27 comments:

  1. Oh those photos make me think of Christmases long ago. How wonderful!

    And the cat at the end is a perfect touch, LOL!

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  2. Knut looks to be a happy red cat, and why shouldn't he. The name of a Saint and my brother..
    I used to bake a gingerbread house with my daughter for Christmas.
    Problem was keeping the M&Ms till New Year.
    Most kindergartens also make gingerbread houses. Great fun for the kid. They are not so posh as the Gunnarsson house though.
    From Felisol

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  3. Felisol, I can't seem to be able to leave a comment at your blog this week either, maybe you want it that way for now. But just so you know, I found all those little gnomes/nisses adorable and very talentedly made!

    Gingerbread houses are so pretty, although I've never made one myself but as you say it must be great fun to make them, for children and grown ups alike.

    People with Cameras, thanks! I really adore those window displays, they're very Astrid Lindgren-ish somehow, not surprisingly I suppose...:)

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  4. Anonymous2:12 am

    Wow.. what a great display. Those breads look so inviting.

    My Ruby Tuesday entries are posted here and here. Hope you can pass by, too! Thanks.

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  5. nice shots. I love the gingerbreadhouse. It's been eons since I made one.

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  6. that is the most impressive gingerbread house that I have ever seen. Probably is a delicious as the other pastries in the window display. The pastries are divine, any of these, would be great with a cappuccino.

    Knut the feline is impressive. But what is this tiger doing by showing off his teeth? The growl of a jungle tiger or just having a good laugh?

    Happy Advent, St, Knuts Day and Ruby Tuesday!

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  7. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Oh, how I long for Christmas in Sweden, a place that's been on my list for years. I WILL make it there one day!

    Your photos are a delight.

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  8. I love creative photos of windows. This one is exceptional.

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  9. Great post Happy Ruby Tuesday to you!

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  10. Those are some big cookies!
    I love the shot of the candles in the window.

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  11. Those pastries made my mouth water..*drool*

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  12. Wow! So much food! Really making me very Very hungry! Oops...the cat seems to be annoyed to see me peeking at the food...;p

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  13. these Christmas goodies make me hungry! and Knut looks like he wants his milk now.:D

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  14. Anonymous4:48 pm

    Oh Knut..Have you met my orange cats Oliver and Elliot? Wow..what a display, I think I could throw myself head first into the window with a cup of good coffee and be very happy for a long time..

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  15. Well, Knut is just irresistable. Clearly a real personality. These photos are all warm and wonderful and capture the spirit of the season. I love that first window especially. I like the idea of advent candles, though it's new to me and given my Angel's (cat) penchant for mayhem I dare not make fire available to her.

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  16. Dear Pia,
    Thanks for your visit to my blog.
    That litte white doggie of my sisters' is cute but I am a cat person myself.
    Knut is a really cute kitty!
    Seems to be the boss of the place too!
    I had to save your profile picture and then send it to Picture It, so I could get a better view of what you are holding in your arms.
    Now THAT kitty, I could cheerfully steal.Ha!!
    It would make my husband's cat, Shopping News extremely jealous!

    Have a great Ruby Tuesday!...Love Terry

    PS My favourite picture of yours is the window with the candles peeking out.
    It is very exquisite!!

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  17. shutterhappyjenn - Thanks for stopping by. I've already been around at your's, invite not needed;)

    ~just me miranda~ - thanks. Seems like I'm the *only* one never having made a gingerbreadhouse myself...:/

    Ralph - thanks! Oh Knut is just a very talkative guy, he's rather opinionated and like to share his views whenever a camera is around:)

    Pagan Sphinx - thanks for all you sweet words!

    Roger - glad you liked it, thanks for visiting.

    Carletta - thanks for stopping by and liking it.

    peachkins - glad to be of service;)

    Dora - ha, ha, maybe so, he does like his food:)

    luna miranda - thanks for visiting, says me and Knut:)

    ramblingwoods - oh I'm sure you'd make a great contribution to that window display;) I haven't met Oliver and Elliot, must pop by and have a look around.

    Raven - thanks! Oh the advent candlesticks like these are electrical, I think they would survive a mischievous Angel cat, although admittedly I have to have mine tied to the window sills...;)

    Terry - thanks for a long lovely comment! I'm a cat person myself too, but I have a loaf dog now 5 years old who is kind of sweet in his own way;) And of course I'm a sucker for anything adorable and furry - oh yes, that little sweetheart I'm holding was the apple of my eye, Aurora was her name and she sadly passed away last year 14 years old. I miss her, but we did get many wonderful years together.

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  18. Oh wow… it all looks so good… and I am sooo hungry…

    LOVE the cat photo!

    Candles in the window is such a pretty sight. I think that is why I like xmas lights so much, they remind me of little candle flames : )

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  19. love your window shot - the bakery looks lucious and the candles look so warm and comforting

    love that cat!! that's a guard cat if ever I saw one

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  20. What a delicious looking window - it's making me hungry!

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  21. Kay - surfing RT posts is something that always makes me hungry, food pics everywhere and rarely anything as good ready available at home, sigh...:)

    Dianne - food, candles and a guard cat, what more could one want...:)

    Robin - thanks for stopping by!

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  22. candles in the window wow...

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  23. Seems like many likes those candles, Felis, it's a very nice tradition I think.

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  24. HEY!... Hello Mr.Cat... :-)

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  25. He, he, hello indeed, tr3nta:)

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  26. Oh! is he ever cute!
    Makes me really miss my Sir Galahad. He passed away three years ago a day before Valentines day!
    He was 16 years old, two years older than your Aurora.
    You just never can forget them eh?
    Well I really must be leaving.
    Your blog is full of golden nuggets!!!!
    Well Pia K, I must break away and go and see some more Ruby Tuesdayers Pia K!.....Love Terry

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  27. What a sweet comment, Terry! Thanks! And yes, these little furry family members have forever a little place in the heart...

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Other than that, truly lovely to hear from you ~