New Year's Traditions

            My family has lots of traditions, many of them being Swedish! Of all the holiday traditions, one of my favorites is on New Years Day when we have all of our neighbors over for Swedish Pancakes! Swedish pancakes are a lot like crepes. They are big and very thin. Usually we put lingonberries (berries that grow in Sweden) on it and roll it up. It is a big deal at the Weddle household! The week before New Year’s we go out and invite all the neighbors. We have done this for many years, so they expect it now! The night before is so much work! We make many recipes of batter, clean the house like crazy, prep it with all of our new Swedish accessories, roll silverware in napkins, and so much more. One of the craziest things Swedes do is make “Swedish coffee” which is coffee grounds boiled with water on the stove and then a raw egg or two cracked in (yes, the whole egg including the shells). Finally, you strain out the egg shells and coffee grounds and it is ready to serve! J Although I am a coffee drinker, I’m not desperate enough to drink Swedish coffee! Ick. Finally the day comes and the neighbors start arriving! Even when it is snowing, one of our neighbors goes out with her 4-wheeler and paves the drive way. The main reason we do this is to build a sense of community with our neighbors. Out in the country, people don’t move often so it is always the same crowd from year to year, and they enjoy seeing each other. It doesn’t always go perfectly, though. One year I spilled a whole bowl of batter. Another year, my dog got a deer leg and brought it up to the front porch as people were walking in! No matter how much work it is, it is always a good time of fellowship. I have enjoyed this tradition of ours from year to year.