Hello there! Can you guess what I am? I am made of snow, and I am just 4 hours old. My nose is a carrot, and my eyes are two tiny black stones. I have a twig for a mouth, and I don’t have any teeth. I have five black buttons on my fat belly, but I don’t wear a coat. My arms are like two round balls of ice cream, and I am holding a broom, even though I don’t have any hands.
What am I? Yup, you guessed it right, I’m a snowman!
They call me Lars, and I live in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Every year, when Christmas time comes, the children build me.
Here, they call Christmas “Jul.”
Before Jul, people fill their homes with lots of candles and twinkling lights because winter in Sweden is very dark. They decorate the windows with beautiful straw stars, and there is a “Julbock” in every house— a special goat woven from straw.
They celebrate Jul on the 24th of December. It’s a day full of fun and noise. Everyone laughs and sings a lot. The children perform little plays, and there’s a tradition to watch a TV show called “Kalle Anka.” Then, they enjoy a big feast called the “Christmas buffet.”
After the meal, they all dance joyfully around the Christmas tree.
The Jultomte brings the presents on a sleigh. Their favorite food on this day is crispy fried ham.
People in Sweden have a special custom at Christmas: they knock on the door of their friends, quickly put a present there, and then try to disappear before they see them! They call this custom “Julklapp.”
I’m wishing you all a “God Jul!” That’s how we say “Merry Christmas” in Sweden!
Love,
Your snowman, Lars
