It’s the 22nd of December and we are only on our 3rd Day of Christmas. Well, the last three weekends were a whirlwind. Since we have been caroling in several homes across Stockholm, I could not take the kids to any Christmas market or event. However, caroling has been a wonderful experience meeting complete strangers and spreading the season’s joy in their homes! Tomorrow being the last day of caroling for this year and Sunday Christmas Eve, even this weekend is out of question for any kind of Christmas sightseeing. So decided to take the girls to downtown Stockholm today!

Kungsträdgården was bustling with last minute Christmas shoppers! Listening to Christmas songs in the air, watching young and old glide to the music on their ice skates was such a happy sight!

As we continued to walk across the garden, we were greeted by Japanese anime cosplay girls! The best time to meet more cosplay artists is during the Cherry Blossom Festival in the month of May. I enjoyed Japanese folk music and a cosplay parade during 2017 Körsbärsblommans Dag/Cherry Blossom Festival at Kungsträdgården!

I had two things on my mind planned out for the day. I am saving the first activity for my next post. The second was meeting ‘Jultomten’ – Santa Claus!

At the beginning of the month, after seeing so many advertisements about the Kungsträdgården Christmas Market, I took the kids there with high hopes and was hugely disappointed as there was nothing but the ice skating rink. The afternoon I went, 1st of December, was so very cold. Despite the many layers we were in, the kids and I couldn’t handle the cold. We rushed into the Nordiska Kompaniet complex across the street for some warmth.

The sight of the massive Christmas tree inside cheered the girls. Right beneath the tree, I spotted the Santa Claus photobooth. That came as a pleasant surprise for me!

I remembered, last Christmas, Krissy freaked at the sight of Santa. So as we waited in the queue to meet Santa, I told Krissy that Santa was a good man and she needn’t be scared of him. When it was our turn to meet him, both the kids greeted him without any hesitation and happily posed. Just when I was about to click the picture, my mobile froze due to the cold that it was exposed to when we were outside. Santa and the girls waited patiently as I frantically tried to get my mobile working. It just didn’t.

That’s the reason, I took the girls there the second time. This time my mobile worked, but Krissy got scared of Santa. Thankfully, she at-least sat on his lap for a few seconds while I managed to click this picture!

Tomorrow is the last day to meet Jultomten at Nordiska Kompaniet. Check out the timing on their website and get your yearly Santa photograph!

Also, don’t miss the fun display on the Nordiska Kompaniet windows. Unlike the window displays of most department stores that promote their products or brand, NK is famously known for it’s unique display that showcases Swedish Christmas traditions. We walked past the NK several times this month and every single time my girls watched the displays with wide-eyed wonder!

If you know of any other Christmas/Holiday event happening in Stockholm that we can enjoy as a family, kindly share the info on the comment box below!