The must-haves
The most purchased souvenir by tourists is the Dalarna horse, a true symbol of Sweden. The classic model is carved out of wood and painted red, but nowadays there are endless variations, in all sizes and colors. Its origins date back to the 18th century, when lumberjacks carved toys by hand for their children. In the 19th century, they began to decorate them inspired by the famous murals of the region. Today, the tradition continues in the village of Nusnäs, near Mora. If you take the time to go there, you can visit the two artisanal factories where the horses are made by hand. For the Swedes, the Dalarna horse represents strength, courage, loyalty and dignity. You will find them in almost every souvenir store in the country, as 400,000 of these horses are produced every year!
Another must-have is the traditional Swedish clog, the träsko. These very popular clogs are sold in most shoe stores. The underside is made of wood and the top of leather, and every Swede owns (at least) one pair. In Båstad, in the northwest of Skåne, a handicraft company sells the most authentic of all, the Båstad-toffeln model.
For those who want to keep their hands warm, buy a pair of Lovikka mittens. These very cute and warm mittens are made in the north of Sweden, in the village of Lovikka. They were created by Erikka Aittamaa in 1892. The brand was registered in the 1960s and guarantees local production and respect for the original handcraft. However, they can be difficult to find and their price can be surprising (between 30 and 100 euros).
As for useful objects, you can't leave Sweden without a famous ost-hyvel, or cheese planer. This small grater is essential, because it is necessary to cut the big triangle-shaped cheeses that are bought in 1 kg pieces and that Swedes are crazy about. This utensil allows to cut a thin and homogeneous slice in this huge cheese, the slice having the perfect size and thickness to be put on a rectangular knäckebröd... What a satisfaction! Also, when you say cheese cutter, you say cheese, and when you say cheese, you say knäckebröd. A nice gift for your friends would be a cheese cutter, accompanied by one of these famous cheeses and a package of knäckebröd, for a complete experience!
Another useful little item is the wooden butter knife. This handcrafted object with a round tip makes it possible to serve the (soft) butter in a very gentle way. You won't find a Swede who doesn't have at least two of these in his kitchen (next to his two ost-hyvel).
To complete this panoply, we add in our suitcase a jar of bilberry jam. Very appreciated by the Swedes, this very little sweetened jam can accompany your toasts (with cheese), but also your meats and your fish!
Saami craftsmanship
Saami handicrafts are of remarkable beauty and finesse, as the Saami are the masters of an ancestral know-how. The colors used in the making of jewelry and clothing are often representative of the Sami flag: dark blue, bright red, green and golden yellow. Traditional Sami costumes (hats, gloves, shoes and slippers) can be purchased, as well as small birch bark boxes, wooden objects and other small items such as reindeer horn key rings.
Particularly popular are Saami bracelets made from braided silver or pewter wire, placed inside a flat leather cord and closed with a small button carved from bone. The leather comes from the reindeer, as does the button, carved from the animal's antlers. The wires are difficult to braid, and it can take hours to make a single centimeter of braid! The patterns are made up of rows of single, double or quadruple wires, sometimes embellished with miniature knots or metal beads. There is a full range of sizes, and bracelets can be wide or narrow in style. Bracelets are rooted in Saami culture and are meant to last a lifetime, or at least until the leather wears out, which takes many years. So it's a great gift to bring back for someone you care about!
The Crystal Kingdom
The art of glassmaking is ancient in Småland. From Växjö to Kalmar, it is the kingdom of crystal, where figurines and vases are made by skilled craftsmen. Today, fifteen crystal factories continue the tradition with products of great finesse. The artist Mats Jonasson, who works for the Målerås crystal factory, the third largest crystal manufacturer in Sweden, is known for his crystal statues with mysterious faces. The masks are named after mythological characters, such as Morgana, Dafne and Batzeba. Another world-renowned crystal factory, Kosta Boda, specializes in making beautiful objects, including the must-have crystal piece with a Dalarna horse inside (if you want to kill two birds with one stone!). If you can't make it to the factory stores on site, these pieces can be found in the country's main exhibition stores.
Off the beaten track
If you're feeling adventurous and want to bring back something less conventional from Sweden, don't worry, the country is full of secret treasures! For example, who knows that Sweden is (also) known for the quality of its brushes, brooms and brushes? From small round dishwashing brushes to floor brooms (made of dried birch), from soft clothes whips to long-handled bath brushes, there is a brush for every household need! The woods used to make these brushes are oak, birch and ash, and the bristles are carefully treated horse hair. The Iris Hantverk chain of stores is a great place to buy good quality, handmade brushes, so don't hesitate if you're a housekeeping addict!
Another unlikely souvenir: food in tubes. The most famous is the blue tube of Kalles Kaviar, with its legendary smiling blonde kid on the tube. This Swedish caviar is more of a cream spread, made of smoked cod roe, oil, spices and potato flakes - not to mention a healthy dose of sugar! It can be eaten for breakfast on an egg or a slice of bread. Not a fan of caviar? Don't worry, Swedish supermarkets have other tubes to surprise you: tubes of classic processed cheese, flavored with shrimp or even reindeer meat! If these new flavors scare you, you can always fall back on Brie or Roquefort substitutes... in tubes too!
