Allt för Sverige (Everything for Sweden)

My mother emigrated to the U.S. from Sweden when she was just 20 years old. She initially came over as an au pair, met my dad on a blind date, and they got married a year later. They’ve now been married for an astounding 58 years.

It wasn’t until I spent a semester abroad, in my junior year of college, that I started to understand the enormity of that experience. Living in a foreign country, having to figure out public transportation and food labels and how to ask for directions in a foreign language all day long is mentally exhausting. Not to mention leaving your family and friends and culture behind.

I’ve been thinking a lot about identity lately. Maybe it’s the recent election. Maybe it’s reaching middle age. I did a workshop a couple years ago called Undoing Racism and in one of the sessions we were asked to share something about our culture. I’m not really sure how I would define my culture. I can talk about my ancestry, but being a white American doesn’t come with many associations or traditions for me.

I am an American of Swedish descent (I’m also English and Irish, but Swedish makes up the largest part of my ethnicity). It’s not a part of my identity that I’ve ever leaned hard into. My Christmas decorations are decidedly Swedish. I love Swedish foods like pickled herring and creamed cod roe and liverwurst. I recently drove to Norwalk, CT to hit the Scandinavian market so I could stock up on a few items (pictured above). Technically the cheese is Norwegian, but it’s so good on the crispbread that I make an exception.

I’m also a sucker for Swedish marketing. I went searching online the other day for some earplugs, since I live on a busy city street and like to sleep with my window open at night. The moment Happy Ears announced itself to be a Swedish company, they had my sale. Same goes for the sling bag I went shopping for the other day. As soon as I realized that Fjällräven was a Swedish company, I knew which purse I had to buy. My bag has the cutest little Swedish flag tag on one corner.

You have likely heard of some obvious Swedish brands, such as the furniture store IKEA and car manufacturer Volvo. But did you know that Spotify, H&M, and Electrolux are also Swedish companies? Swedes can claim credit for inventing the first adjustable wrench, those walkers you find everywhere in nursing homes, and the all-important (and life saving) 3-point seatbelt.

I recently stumbled across a reality-TV show for Americans with Swedish ancestry called Allt för Sverige (Everything for Sweden) and it is making me so happy to watch. It’s been on the air for 12 years now, and broadcasts in a mixture of Swedish and English. The contestants are so earnest, and so moved by their experience on the show. Tears are a regular sight. It’s both heartwarming and super cringey to watch. One of the contestants on the first season had a dala horse tattoo that made me laugh out loud. These Americans are SO invested in their Swedish heritage, but in a beautiful way.

This summer my family is planning a trip to Sweden. I haven’t been in over 20 years, and my children and nieces and nephew have never been. I’m thrilled that they get to experience the country with their Mormor (Swedish for mother’s mother, that’s what they’ve always called their grandmother). It will be great to have everyone together, and I’m really looking forward to visiting Sweden again, tasting the food, and seeing the landscape.

My family has a tradition of making glögg, or Swedish mulled wine, every few years and giving it to each other at Christmas time. The oldest bottles are the most prized. Spiked with vodka and brandy, and heated up with the addition of raisins and slivered (not sliced!) almonds, glögg is served hot with a side of thin gingerbread cookies. Skål!