The Christmas Pantry Cupboard

2008 Christmas 

This year will be the 6th Christmas Mr. H and I celebrate together and over the years we have developed a few traditions special to just us and our Swamerican (Swedish & American) holiday season.

One of my favorite traditions that we have is spending the week between Christmas Eve and New Years Eve playing games, specifically whatever Lego video game came out that year, and partaking in drinks and snacks.

This year Mr. H came up with the brilliant idea of The Christmas Pantry Cupboard.

For the last month he has slowly been collecting treats and adding them to the Christmas Pantry which is located in the special cupboard above the refrigerator common to Swedish homes.

It is the perfect spot because it is up high and for now only contains the special Christmas week items. As of today it contains:

Two bottles of Julmust – a special soda that comes out at Christmas time in Sweden

Beer – they are all special edition Christmas beers that have procured from Systembolaget, some being special orders like the Port Brewing and Ale Smith ones

Beef Jerky – from a care package by grandparents sent

Pepparkaka – a Swedish Christmas must have, similiar to a gingersnap

Lindt truffles – A small bag of assorted truffles we picked up yesterday at the store

Juleskum – these are a marshmallow type of candy that are vaguely Santa shaped (if you are in Sweden and never tried them you should)

It has been really fun picking out things to go in the Christmas pantry and since we have spread out the spending this way we have been able to buy things like the Lindt truffles which would normally be out of or normal shopping price range.

Also since we are once again celebrating with just the two of us it has amped up the excitement of the holiday season since we know there is so much yumminess to be soon had!

I keep telling him it needs more treats though and he keeps buying more beer so my mission this week is to balance it out!

What would you add to your Christmas Pantry Cupboard?