Christmas season in Sweden offiicially kicks off on Luciadagen (St. Lucia Day) on December 13… but one special day precedes the month of celebrations, setting the stage for the yumminess of the month-long Swedish Christmas: pepparkakans dag!
Pepparkakans dag literally means "peppercake day," but refers to Sweden's obsession with their beloved gingerbread cookies. It is thought that way back in the 14th and 15th centuries, these cookies were made with black pepper, thus the name… but there is every possibility this is a legend that has grown with the obsession. (More "stuff of legends" includes stories of nuns using pepparkakans to cure stomach ailments, and even a king being ordered to consume the cookies to improve his foul mood!)
Pepparkakans dag falls on December 9… today! On this day, Swedish families bake their gingerbread cookies for the season. Of course, many families opt to forgo the rolling pin and purchase their seasonal pepparkakar instead.
Want to make your own pepparkakar? There are plenty of recipes around the e-world… but an especially yummilicious recipe for pepparkakar is included in our Multicultural Kid Blogs' "Celebrate Christmas Around the World" packet.
Whether you're baking pepparkakar today, or making some other holiday favorite, I hope it is a yummy start to the celebrations ahead!
You can find lots more fun and yummy Christmas trivia and info on the MKB Christmas in Different Lands series.
My type A personality is ridiculously excited knowing from now on I will be planning our gingerbread baking for Dec. 9th - Nod to another culture mixed in with my controlling nature - it's a win win!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way, Marie-Claude. I love having a cultural excuse to bake, and to plan ahead! The only difficult part will be waiting until Dec. 9th next year to have our gingerbread cookies; we've been eating them for weeks already this season! :)
DeleteGlad Pepparkakans Dag !!! We made our gingerbread last night but we're happily eating them today.
ReplyDeleteI love that you're living it up and following tradition! We're traveling, so I'm not baking today, but got ours made weeks early this year… and will probably pick up more at the local Christmas market again tomorrow. Mmmmm!
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