Ideas for a Sweden Themed Party
Sweden - who played their first international match back in 1908 - have traditionally had a strong national team, and have performed well at both World Cups and Uefa European Tournaments.
If you're throwing a Swedish party, anything in bright yellow and blue is going to be a good starting point, but hopefully you'll find a few more ideas on this page.
Swedish Party Decorations
Decorate yourself and your room with Sweden shirts, flags and scarves (see links, right,
or
search for Swedish kit at Kitbag.comg(512634)a(1759159))
).
If you're serving food, search for yellow and blue table covers, napkins, plates, cups and
cutlery on our general
Football Party Decorations Page
For bunting, flags, balloons and more
Swedish Party Decorations Ideas,
visit our
European Football Party Decorations Page
As for colour schemes, in addition to the above ideas, anything else you can find in yellow and blue will help create the right atmosphere.
Food for a Swedish Themed Party
Sweden's cuisine has been shaped by its geographical location. The long cold winters mean that fresh fruit and vegetables have not always been readily available, and that fish and meats
have needed to be preserved. There are of course regional variations; more fresh fruit and vegetables are eaten in the south, whereas in the north meats such as reindeer are more widely eaten.
Dairy products, breads, berries and stone fruits, beef, pork, seafood and fish are central to Swedish cuisine. Potatoes are often served as a side dish, often boiled.
Many meat dishes - especially meatballs which are very popular - are served with lingonberry jam. Fruit soups - which can be served either hot or cold - such as rose hip soup or
blueberry soup, are typical of Swedish cuisine. Sweden has a strong pastry tradition resulting in a wide variety of yeast buns, cookies, biscuits and cakes; these are often enjoyed with a
strong cup of coffee.
The long cold winters and lack of fresh fruit and vegetables led to a long tradition of preserving food in Sweden. Fish were salted and cured, and so salt has been a major trade item
for Swedes for hundreds of years. Cabbage was preserved as sauerkraut, and various kinds of berries and other fruits were preserved and used as a source of vitamin C during the
winter. Lingonberry jam, still a favourite, is one of the most typically Swedish ways to add freshness and flavour to traditional soups, stews and meat dishes. For much of the year,
the only available vegetables were root vegetables such as turnips, swedes, carrots and potatoes, which could be stored for long periods after harvesting.
Swedish Pea Soup - Ärtsoppa
Swedish Potato Dumplings - Kroppkakor
Swedish "Bubble & Squeek" - Pytt i Panna
Swedish Fish au gratin - Fiskgratäng
Swedish Chocolate Balls - Chokladboll
Drink for a Sweden Themed Party
Swedes are heavy coffee drinkers, so for a
Swedish football party it would be more than acceptable to serve coffee and
Kaffebröd - sweet cakes and pastries - at half time!
Swedes also drink a lot of milk.
Beer is very popular and easily available in the country itself, but the local brands, such as Pripps Blå and Norrlands Guld, aren't widely available outside Sweden.
What is easier to get hold of - and perhaps the drink that Sweden is most famous for - is Swedish Vodka. There are many brands available of course, of which the three best-known are probably Renat,
Explorer Vodka and Absolut Vodka
.
