Simply Scandi Christmas 2020

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CHRISTMAS DIGITAL ISSUE

BRING THE LOOK & LIFESTYLE HOME

Come inside…

IT’S CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS 2020

SAY HEJ TO THIS SPECIAL ISSUE OF YOUR NEW SCANDI MAGAZINE

Create moments that matter

FROM TREES TO DECORATIONS, GIFTS TO NEW TRADITIONS

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“DON’T MISS SIMPLY SCANDI IN print WHICH LAUNCHES 28 JANUARY. SUBSCRIBE NOW ON PAGE 20”

ED’S LETTER SCANDI

Hello to you

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his is a very special issue – not only is it Christmas, with all the charm, beauty and loveliness that a Scandi-style home brings at this time of year, it’s a taste of things to come, with a very exciting 2021 ahead for the Simply Scandi brand.

I’ve loved creating this free digital mini issue, working alongside the always-brilliant Jo Craig, as we’ve planned, written, concepted and designed our way to what you see on screen today. But Simply Scandi is not a digital magazine – we love the feel, the smell and the indulgence of print, so I’m beyond excited to share that we will launch as a quarterly print magazine on 28 January (save the date now). If you want to be first to flick, seeing the amazing content, then why not pre-order your copy in advance – or better still, take out a subscription? Find out more at newsstand.co.uk/ simply-scandi. I can’t wait to share more Scandi love – in the meantime, enjoy!

Jen x

Jennifer Morgan Editor & Publisher

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ON MY LIST FOR CHRISTMAS

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Editor Jennifer Morgan jennifer.morgan@rileypublishing.co.uk Art Director Jo Craig (jo@consideredcreative.co) Chief Sub Editor Emily Pointer

Simply Scandi is a registered trademark.

ISSN 2752-3055

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simplyscandi.com To subscribe to future print issues of Simply Scandi, visit newsstand.co.uk/simply-scandi.

For queries relating to subscriptions, please email subenquiries@newsstand.co.uk To advertise in future issues, email simplyscandi@rileypublishing.co.uk First print issue - on sale 28 January 2021

Simply Scandi is published by Riley Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in part or in whole, without written permission of the publishers, is strictly prohibited. All information is, as far as possible, correct at the time of press.

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PAPER LEAVES

String up a simple garland, £7 for two leaves, heavenlyhomes andgardens.co.uk

THISTLE WREATH

We’d be tempted to keep this nude wreath up all year, £19, roseandgrey.co.uk

FALLING STARS

Wind with foliage for an easy, natural-style wall decoration, £20, johnlewis.com

The

Scandi edit We’ve been shopping for your Christmas home and loving a simple, Scandi-rustic look

TEALIGHT TOWN

Create your own Nordic scene on your windowsill, £50 for three, coxandcox.co.uk

FROSTED SPRUCE

Snow-dusted and ready to decorate, £399.99, lights4fun.co.uk

OMBRE STOCKING

Treat yourself to a faux-fur stocking – you’ve been nice after all, £25, johnlewis.com

EDIT SCANDI

BRASS RINGS

Trim each of these three deco frames with a sprig of foliage or a favourite decoration, €45, fermliving.com

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WALL STAR

Leave this antique brass wall star up all-year-round, £30, gardentrading.co.uk

OVERSIZED SHADE

Perfect for above a dining table (and why stop at one?), £51, sofa.com

NATURAL OAK MIRROR ICONIC LAMP

We love the deisgn of the Arum wall lamp, with its curved metal arch and leaf-shaped shade, £245, abodeliving.co.uk

Orangic in shape, Scandi in style, this round mirror is the perfect finishing touch to any room, £370, sweetpeaandwillow.com

CANDLESTICK HOLDERS

SEASPRAY BASKET

Perfect for a quick toy tidy up, this organic jute utility basket is made in Bangladesh, £22.50, braided-rug.co.uk

Cluster for mid-century style, £14 for two, spicerandwood.co.uk

BENTWOOD ROCKER

While away the hours in this rattan rocking chair in black stain, £503, peppersq.com

PLANT BOX

Line the top with plants and stack books along the bottom tier, £230, abodeliving.co.uk

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EDIT SCANDI

BARE NECESSITIES So simple yet so striking, this wintry white tree is begging to be adorned with frosted-glass baubles. The tree has a rustic birch-effect finish and comes pre-lit with LEDs, £95, coxandcox.co.uk

SCANDI READ Join Rebecca Lawson and Reena Simon (both award-winning interiors bloggers and stylists), as they journey across Europe to showcase the very best in Scandi rustic homes in Scandi Rustic (Ryland Peters & Small, £19.99).

In this gorgeous book – even the cover is oh-so tactile – the Scandi-loving duo reveal how to create a home that takes elements of Scandinavian design and introduces rustic natural materials and textures to create a Scandi-inspired interior that is cosy, relaxed and inviting.

#SHOPSCANDISMALL

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Hudson Home Captivated by the little details that make a house a home, Hudson Home is definitely one to shop

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1 Beaded ceramic snowflake, £4 2 Wooden Christmas trees in mango wood, from £14 3 Brass mistletoe decoration, £12.50 4 December chopping board, £24

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hudsonhome.co.uk

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The home of

SILLE VAN LOON Find inspiration for your own Scandi Christmas, thanks to Sille’s simple yet elegant approach to decorating her Danish home at this special time of year

F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

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ENTRANCE HALL Sille’s kept this space simple with rustic tiles underfoot. “Since the hallway can easily become chaotic with school books, bags and snowsuits, I keep decorations minimal too,” she says, although there’s always mistletoe hung above the living-room door PORCH Lanterns, spruce and fairy lights decorate the steps leading up to the house. “I love arranging frost-tolerant plants outside in crates and pots, such as Christmas roses, snowdrops and hyacinths,” shares Sille 10

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ille van Loon likes to bring the outdoors in, especially at Christmas. “I’m definitely a ‘nature’ person,” she confesses, “even more so during the winter months, when my garden is looking a little sad and we are very much inside.” To console herself, Sille, along with husband Martin and her two children, Luka and Nor, head to the family’s summer cottage in Sejerø Bugten, Zealand, on an annual winter weekend trip to gather pine cones, larch and birch branches, moss, leaves and berries. “It’s so nice to come home laden with pieces ready to make wreaths and garlands,” she says.

‘Home’ is a villa built in the 1930s in the Valby district of Copenhagen, which she bought with Martin in 2014.

The couple first saw the house on a sunny September day, ▶

F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

Meet Sille Sille van Loon lives here with Martin DarrĂŠ and their two children, Luka, seven, and Nor, two. Sille is a consultant, while Martin owns Friday CPH. Their home was built in the 1930s and is in the town of Valby, a district of Copenhagen.

FOLLOW SILLE @SILLEVANLOON

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KITCHEN The kitchen-dining room is a lesson in Nordic simplicity with its white kitchen, and large dining table, designed by Børge Mogensen.

The chairs are Series 7 by Arne Jacobsen, with the large copper pendant by Tom Dixon

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SCANDI HOMES

“WHEN I’M AT THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS, I’LL always BUY A FEW DECORATIONS TO WORK WITH MY EXISTING WHITE ONES”

LIVING ROOM Above the Hay sofa, Sille has hung a branch of larch, framing the wintry view of her garden. The floorboards have been sanded and restored, while a bespoke built-in bench under the window provides storage for seasoned logs for the woodburner. The picture over the white shelving unit is

by Janne Malmros 14

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when its garden looked so pretty. “Inside, there were lots of cosy nooks and beautiful bedrooms – I was sold,” laughs Sille. With a new kitchen, floorboards sanded and built-in solutions like the bench in the living area, the couple soon made the villa home for their growing family. “I love that the ground floor is large enough for the four of us to all be in the same area without feeling cramped,” she shares. The oak flooring is original, along with the French doors – which are rarely closed – separating the kitchen/dining room from the living area, and the simple staircase. Martin and Sille still have plans to open up under the eaves in one of the children’s rooms for a loft conversion, but are in no hurry.

Sille’s mother comes from Holland, where Sinterklaas is kept on the 5 December, “and we’ve carried on the tradition,” explains Sille. So you’ll find the family together on the ▶

F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

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HOMES SCANDI

afternoon/evening of the fifth, gathered around the large dining table, drinking hot chocolate, making sweets, cookies and Christmas decorations. “Later on, there are presents from Sinterklaas; the children put their winter boots next to the stove and put out some straw and a carrot for his horse,” says Sille. “It’s so nice to be together. It’s a little like Christmas Eve, but more relaxed and much less fuss.” At the heart of her living room stands a gorgeous fresh fir tree, which gives off a fantastic scent and allows Sille to display her decorations, many from local Christmas markets.

‘Less is more’ is a style philosophy that Sille applies to her Christmas decorating too. “Much of Christmas is sumptuous and very colourful,” she explains, “yet I prefer a slightly cooler and simpler festive table.” The blue Christmas plates, which belonged to her grandmother, have the year ▶

BEDROOM The chair in Sille and Martin’s bedroom came from her grandfather’s furniture factory; “Everyone in my family seems to have one,” she laughs BATHROOM This serves as a “plant hotel” in the winter for Sille’s non-Christmassy plants like her geraniums STAIRS Sille’s added a few seasonal potted bulbs to the original staircase S I M P LY S C A N D I

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KITCHEN-DINING ROOM The colourful world map gives play and life to Sille’s cool, white decor. It was a gift many years ago. The sheepskin is from Luther Design EXTERIOR Sille even decorates the balcony, which leads off her bedroom, using a string of lights and pieces of spruce 18

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stamped on. “You always want to get the one from your own year of birth at your place setting,” says Sille.

This accent of blue pops up throughout Sille’s home – it’s her favourite colour, and you’ll see it on her kitchen shelves, which are home to flea-market treasures, alongside Danish glassware from Holmegaard and Casalinga. It’s this effortless mix of pre-loved nestled next to design classics that makes Sille’s take on modern Nordic so appealing. Yes, you’ll find design icons but they are given space to breathe.

It’s a look that works all year round, but one that suits Sille’s favourite season the most. Of course, this year, Sille’s wishing for a white Christmas. “It gives that extra mood and the rarity of it makes it almost dream-like when one does happen.” Then just picture her calming home under its blanket of freshly fallen snow… just perfect.

Words & styling: Mette Helena Rasmussen Retro Villa/House of Pictures Photography: Tia Borgsmidt/House of Pictures Get the look: Jennifer Morgan

SCANDI HOMES

HOMES SCANDI

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SILLE’S

home notes

Discover the pieces behind her simple look

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1 Asiatic Florian soft sheepskin rug in grey, from £79, cultfurniture.com 2 Large copper round pendant light, £465, heals.com 3 Tapered log basket in rattan, £80, gardentrading.co.uk 4 Arne Jacobsen Series 7 chairs in white and black, €394 each, fritzhansen.com 5 Red berry tree pick, £5, marksandspencer.com 6 Monsera Deliciosa plant, £25; blue planter, £35; both leafenvy.co.uk 7 Hay Mega Dot reversible bed cover in dark grey, £145, nest.co.uk 8 Hay Mags Soft threeseater sofa, from £2,553, utilitydesign.co.uk

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SUBSCRIBE SCANDI

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Treat yourself – or a Scandi-loving friend – to the BEST-EVER Christmas present, with a subscription to Simply Scandi.

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S E C T I O N F E AT U R E

THE GUIDE

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Scandi gifts you’ll love Looking for present ideas to pop on your own Christmas list or for those special people in your life?

You're sure to love our selection, all with a nod to Scandi

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GIFTS SCANDI

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The tablescaper

1 Leaf napkin rings. £29.95 for four, heavenlyhomesandgardens.co.uk 2 Stelton Theo coffee maker in anthracite, £65, amara.com 3 Bungalow DK Chintz tablecloth in green, £110, fordanthology.com 4 Linen bobble napkins in charcoal, £22.50 for two, hudsonhome.co.uk 5 Granite and wood chopping board/serving platter, £34, kinfolkdecor.co.uk 6 Champagne coupes, £43 for six, curatedliving.co.uk 7 Felicity pasta bowls in grey/blue, £3.50 each, sainsburys.co.uk 8 Embossed tree chopping board, £12, sainsburys.co.uk 9 House Doctor Organi side plate, £8.50, coffeeandcloth.co.uk 10 Brompton cake slice in antique brass, £15, gardentrading.co.uk Left Accessories and decorations, from a selection, bloomingville.com S I M P LY S C A N D I

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SCANDI GIFTS

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The pattern mixer

11 Beatrice Larkin cut throw, £259, greta-mae.co.uk 12 Diddi pot basket, £42, lolaandmawu.com 13 Organic roof pattern poster, from £9.95, desenio.co.uk 14 Climbing Rose long socks, £22, theshopfloorproject.com 15 Fairisle pattern jumper in tan, £34, next.co.uk 16 Kalina patterned cushion cover, £36, hunterandcostore.com 17 Dorothy planter in terracotta, £63, beaumonde.co.uk 18 Striped stoneware brown dessert plate, £10, spicerandwood.co.uk 19 Toppu tray in caramel, £44, oyoylivingdesign.co.uk 20 Handpainted stoneware vase, £49, roseandgrey.co.uk 24

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GIFTS SCANDI

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The hygge lover

21 Comfort & Chill luxury gift box, £70, heathandhill.com 22 Coffee scoop and clip, £10, lisavalentinehome.co.uk 23 Cuero Design Icelandic sheepskin in brown, £135, nest.co.uk 24 Ribbed beanie hat in oatmeal, £12.50, marksandspencer.com 25 Hot water bottle in grey, £8, argos.co.uk 26 Stacks candles and holders in black and white, from £25, concreteandwax.com 27 Shepherd felt slippers in Iris, £45, idyllhome.co.uk 28 The Absolute Classic hamper, £85, hotelchocolat.com 29 Speckled mugs in pink, from £6.50, spicerandwood.co.uk 30 Weighted blanket, from £70, soakandsleep.com S I M P LY S C A N D I

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The design seeker

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31 Tom Raffield Skipper pendant in oak, £235, johnlewis.com 32 Eames House bird in black, £165, heals.com 33 Kristina Dam Studio desk sculptures, £129, nest.co.uk 34 Hip roof toolbox in silver, £38, conranshop.co.uk 35 &Tradition Como portable table lamp, £145, nest.co.uk 36 Eichholtz Solaris mirror, £360, sweetpeaandwillow.com 37 Ferm Living Vulca vase, £125, somedaydesigns.co.uk 38 Hay Crinkle Plaid stripe throws, from £79, hay.dk 39 Ferm Living Herman magazine stand in black, £75, heals.com 40 Tom Dixon Tank decanter in black, £110, johnlewis.com 26

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GIFTS SCANDI

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The toy player

41 Maileg Pixy Elfie in matchbox, £19.95, tittlemousegifts.co.uk 42 Little Bird Told Me willow deer rocker, £99.95, cuckooland.com 43 Doll's carrycot, £34, oyoylivingdesign.co.uk 44 Indoor/outdoor swing, £145, bobbyrabbit.co.uk 45 The pirate den kit, £45, thedenkitco.com 46 Small logging truck, £36.99, bluebrontide.com 47 KOCO wooden chocolate selection box, £13.95, beesmarttoys.com 48 Corduroy lion pouf, £149, beaumonde.co.uk 49 Banwood First Go! balance bike in white, £138.95, cuckooland.com 50 See-ya suitcase in apricot, £79, bobbyrabbit.co.uk S I M P LY S C A N D I

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MOMENTS SCANDI

“MY friend HAS SEVERAL ADVENT CANDLEHOLDERS, INCLUDING ONE SHE PUTS IN HER OFFICE”

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tar lanterns or Advent candelabras appear in windows, balconies are festooned with lights while glögg bubbles gently on the stove. But the most important event of Advent is the lighting of the first adventsljus or candle. Advent has been celebrated in Sweden since the 1890s.

My friend Sofie Lejdström explains why. ‘Advent candles are very important to us, they are a ritual that lights up the darkness, especially in the south where there’s no snow.’

The style of the Advent candleholder varies greatly from home to home, although they are rarely ostentatious. ‘I don’t know anyone who doesn’t own one,’ Sofie tells me, who has several in her home, including a vintage brass one she decorates with moss and berries. The candles are also a key factor. ‘We used to make our own,’ my mother-in-law explains. White ones are the most popular, but given the rise of colourful, fancy-form candles lately, who knows what weird and wonderful Advent candles we may experience this year.”

LEFT Candle holder in brass plate, £33; candles, £1.50 each; all nordal.eu ABOVE Advent candle holder, £28, nordichouse.co.uk top RIGHT Bowl candle holder in black brass, €55, fermliving.com

Advent candles The first Sunday of Advent is a big event in Sweden. It marks the eagerly awaited start of Christmas, while providing a perfect opportunity to lighten up the darkness in the midst of winter. Niki Brantmark – a Londoner now living in Malmö – tells us more…

FOLLOW NIKI @MYSCANDINAVIANHOME

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S E C T I O N F E AT U R E

Serveware, rolling pins and linens, from a selection, bloomingville.com

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MOOD SCANDI

GET SET TO feast

Enjoy the preparation of meals and festive treats this Christmas, dressing your table with Scandistyle pieces that you’ll love for many years to come. From soft tablelinens to serving boards, glassware to tableware, we know you’ll love our festive ideas

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“USE SPRIGS FROM YOUR Christmas TREE TO ADD A NATURAL FESTIVE FLOURISH TO YOUR BAKING” 3

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FEASTING SCANDI

Table treats Make your Christmas bake the star with a gorgeous new cake stand. If you’ve shelf space in your kitchen, then why not look for one in Scandi red? Or for a more versatile design that you can use all year round, try a glass one with a dome lid, which can be left out on your worktop with after-work or school treats.

Serve glögg in style poured into glasses just made for holding, appreciating the warmth this traditional Scandinavian version of mulled wine gives. The most common spices are cloves, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, along with extras of raisins, almonds and citrus peel.

Bring out your linens and use tablecloths, placemats and napkins throughout Christmas. Choose a rich spice shade, which works wonderfully with touches of Scandi red and green.

FAR LEFT Earthenware serving plate with stem and raised snowflake design, £29.99, zarahome.com ABOVE Elegant seagrass sleeve glasses, £9.95 each, nordichouse.co.uk LEFT Linen placemat in cinnamon, €25 for two, fermliving.com

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SCANDI FEASTING

Finishing touches Bring in a metallic to give your festive feast a touch of sparkle. Try mixing a brass or warm gold accent plate with brown earthenware to give each place setting extra depth. Make it a tradition that these hero touches appear each year, becoming a familiar part of your Christmas tablescape.

Boost your board collection ready for sharing platters of delicious nibbles.

Look for wooden boards with plenty of interest – whether shape, grain or tone – and find a home to display them in your kitchen when not in use.

Arrange plenty of candles along your table, varying holders from chunky candlesticks to more delicate glass votives, giving your dining space a lovely soft light. Stock up on dinner candles and tealights, ready to swap as your feasting goes into the evening.

ABOVE Christian Tortu Riviera leaf plate in glossy gold, £28, rockettstgeorge.co.uk RIGHT Chess cutting board in larch wood, €159, fermliving.com

Words Jennifer Morgan

FAR RIGHT Textured candle holder in black, £13, marquisanddawe.co.uk

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STYLE SCANDI

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Paper When it comes to Christmas, paper creations are intricate, stylish and perfect for giving your home a Scandi feel

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POP-UP FOREST

These trees are made from a lovely silver gilt paper in Indian Tan, Natural Brown, Pompeian Red, Dusty Pink and Thyme – perfect for styling corners.

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STA M P E D & WRAPPED

Go old school and create your own Christmas wrap using a potato stamp, paint and kraft paper. Add a bow of luxe ribbon to finish.

Paper trees, £119 for three, brostecopenhagen.com

Chalk Paint in Athenian Black, £5.95 for 120ml, anniesloan.com

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R E D V E LV E T

Crafted from paper with a luxe velvet feel, these paper baubles are perfect for dressing your banisters – just weave into a garland of fresh foliage.

W H AT A CRACKER

Make your own crackers, adding one of the six toys, hats and jokes included.

And the best part? They are plastic-free with zero waste.

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Maddox round baubles, £10 for three, gardentrading.co.uk

Eco-friendly crackers, £20 for six, thepaperpartybagshop.com

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ON THE EDGE

Made from pine cone and paper, this delicate bauble would make a gorgeous place setting – simply tie on a name tag.

House Doctor natural flower seeds ornament, £6.99, coffeeandcloth.co.uk

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STA R O F WONDER

Top your tree off in style with this delicate star.

In a lovely inky blue paper, it measures 30cm across.

Broste Copenhagen large paper star, £19.90, beaumonde.co.uk

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TOP OF THE CAKES

Pop these oh-so-cute honeycomb paper trees into your mince pies, your pudding or bundt cake for an easy festive flourish.

Tree-shaped cocktail sticks, £4.99 for 10, zarahome.com

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PULP FICTION

The texture of this paper-pulp tree is just amazing. Group several together on your sideboard or table for a stylish display – available in two heights.

Tan paper pulp tree, from £20, roseandgrey.co.uk S I M P LY S C A N D I

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NOTED What’s hot and what’s to watch in the world of Scandi homes, curious facts and charming traditions to put a smile on your face, plus snippets of how to live a more simple, Scandi-loving way of life

Snow truth

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things you need to know about snow in Scandinavia: 1 Snowplows can wake you up ridiculously early.

2 You need to watch out for the slask or slush that builds into mini moats, kerb-side.

3 Snow is actually quite rare in the Götaland region of Sweden, where you’ll find Malmö and Gothenburg.

#SCANDISTYLEHACK Give the space behind your sofa a style makeover with a simple display ledge. Keep those accessories to a curated minimum, echoing cushions on your sofa – easy Scandi styling! bloomingville.com

WARMING GLÖGG Move over mulled wine, this year, we’re enjoying a glass of glögg.

Usually, Scandinavians go from house to house, popping into glögg parties pre-Christmas. You can still get into the the spirit, making your own to perhaps share with a neighbour outside.

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N OT E D S C A N D I

O N E TO WATC H

JYSK

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With five stores opening in 2021, JYSK is a must for affordable Scandi style 1 Hvidovre dining chair in natural/black, £89.99 2 Sandeltre rug in natural, £24.99, 3 Are basket in natural, £14.99, 4 Vadehavet daybed in natural, £199.99 5 Ene throw in green, £24.99, 6 Felix glass vase in green, £16.99

all jysk.co.uk

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Photography: Gaby Dyson on Unsplash; Deryn Macey on Unsplash; Fabrice Villard on Unsplash

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Pimp your porridge Christmas Eve in Nordic countries often starts with a bowl of steaming porridge.

But it’s not any porridge – there’s often an almond hidden in one bowl (like the silver sixpence in our puds).

Tradition has it that the finder of the almond – if they don’t choke first – will marry the next year. A bowl is also left outside the front door for the Christmas elf.

WATCH OUT… TOMTE ABOUT Solitary, trouble-making spirits with a history in folklore, these characters are a must for any Scandi-loving home in the run up to Christmas. £24 each, skandium.com

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CHECKING IN

Skt Petri in Copenhagen Once an old department store, Skt Petri offers a refined sense of Nordic luxe in the heart of Copenhagen. The hotel, which only opened in January 2020, has already won Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Award as the best hotel in Europe. Stay for its rooftop city views and gorgeous lobby and bar area. sktpetri.com

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CANDLES WITH THE SCENT OF WINTER

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Skandinavisk Koto scented candle, £35, johnlewis.com Delicate notes of vanilla beans and orange peel, Baltic amber and vintage leather furniture.

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Broste Copenhagen Tangerine scented candle, £28, beaumonde.co.uk Refreshing yet surprisingly comforting notes of lime and basil.

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Skog scented candle, £12, svaroghome.com Earthy, layered with cypress, vetiver, patchouli, spruce, bergamot, thyme, cinnamon, pine and spikenard.

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PLAY SPACE Let the kids’ imaginations run wild with a cosy book den. Make it snuggly with a rug under bottoms and some stuffed toys to bring the pages to life. We love the Bloomingville MINI range of children’s room ideas and storage solutions.

Bloomingville MINI Rocket basket, £100; cloud rug, £30; both johnlewis.com

SUBSCRIBE Loving this special Christmas issue of Simply Scandi?

Make sure you’re with us throughout 2021 as we grow your new favourite Scandi magazine. You can pre-order our exciting launch issue at newsstand.co.uk/simply-scandi, where you can also subscribe (and we post worldwide too).

It’s what’s underneath There’s a classic Swedish saying: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing’. And who says that warm-weather clothing needs to be plain? We love Norway’s champion freestyle skier Kari Traa’s range. karitraa.com

Tre

SCANDI COOKBOOKS

1

Fäviken by Magnus Nilsson (Phaidon, £45) How one restarurant in a remote part of Sweden became a destination, with 100+ recipes.

2

Smörgåsbord

by Peter’s Yard and Signe Johansen (Kyle Books, £18.99) Seasonal, relaxed celebrations and sharing ideas using crispbreads.

3

Scandinavian Green by Trine Hahnemann (Quadrille, £26) Naturally inspiring recipes that make fruit and veg the star with a nod to Scandi.

S I M P LY S C A N D I

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SCANDI RECIPES

Brontë Aurell’s

Chokladbullar Nothing says hygge or fika like a batch of freshly baked buns. Brontë loves to bake hers as sliceable sharebake with an extra chocolately layer… What’s not to love?

MAKES 16 FOR THE DOUGH 13g dried yeast, or 25g fresh yeast (see tip) 250ml plus 1 tbsp whole milk, heated to 36-37°C 80g butter, melted and left to cool slightly 40g caster sugar 400-500g bread flour 2 tsps ground cardamom 1 tsp salt 1 egg, beaten Flaked almonds, to decorate FOR THE FILLING 50g butter, softened 75g light brown soft sugar 4 large heaped tbsps chocolate hazelnut spread 1 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 50g good-quality milk chocolate, chopped Beaten egg, for brushing 2-3 tbsps golden syrup A generous handful of toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped YOU'LL ALSO NEED A baking pan with sides, greased and lined with baking parchment

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S I M P LY S C A N D I

“Adding chocolate to buns is a great way of giving them a makeover,” says Brontë. “However, just stirring in chocolate chips doesn’t really do it – you need a spread or more liquid filling. Store-bought hazelnut spread is perfect.”

1 For the dough: pour the warm milk into a bowl, sprinkle in

the yeast and whisk. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to become bubbly. Pour into the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a dough hook. Start the machine and add the cooled, melted butter. Allow to combine with the yeast for 1 minute or so, then add the sugar. Combine for 1 minute.

2 In a separate bowl, weigh out 400g of the flour, add the cardamom and salt and mix together. Start adding the flour and spices into the milk mixture, bit by bit. Add half the beaten egg. Keep kneading for 5 minutes. You may need to add more flour – you want the mixture to end up a bit sticky, but not so much that it sticks to your finger if you poke it. It is better not to add too much flour as this will result in dry buns. You can add more later. Once mixed, leave the dough in a bowl and cover with a tea towel or cling film. Leave to rise for around 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

3 For the filling: in a food processor or stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, chocolate hazelnut spread and flour and blend until you have a smooth, spreadable mixture. Set aside.

Dust the work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Knead the dough with your hands and work in more flour if needed.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to around 30 x 40cm.

4 Spread the chocolate filling in an even layer across the dough. Scatter with the chopped chocolate. Roll the dough up tightly lengthways to form a long sausage, then cut into 16 even pieces using a knife or pizza cutter.

5 Squash the buns tightly together into the prepared baking pan. Or if you want to make individual buns then space them evenly on two larger lined baking sheets. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for a further 20 minutes.

6 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Brush the buns with a little beaten egg, then bake in the preheated oven for around 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven, then brush immediately with the golden syrup. Decorate each bun with toasted chopped hazelnuts. Immediately place a damp, clean tea towel on top for a few minutes to prevent the buns from going dry.

Tip

If using fresh yeast, add the warm milk to a small bowl and crumble in the yeast; stir until dissolved, then pour into the bowl of the mixer.

FROM THE BOOK Find more Scandi recipes in Brontë at home by Brontë Aurell, with photography

by Peter Cassidy (Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99)

“BAKING IS PERSONAL – THERE’S SOMETHING REALLY wonderful IN CREATING AND EATING TO PLEASE PEOPLE AROUND YOU” BRONTË AURELL

BRING THE LOOK & LIFESTYLE HOME

Photography: Filippa Tredal/House of Pictures

PRINT ISSUE LAUNCHES 2 8 J A N U A RY 2021

Coming soon…

Loved this special Christmas issue? We’re thrilled to be able to share that there’s more Scandi loveliness coming very soon with our first print issue – spring 2021.

Subscribe or buy a copy at newsstand.co.uk/simply-scandi or find on sale at supermarkets and all good magazine retailers.

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