Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin

The next FIKA meeting is Saturday, March 21, 2026, starting at 1:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of the Milwaukee Zoo.

In the January 2025 Fika meeting Cookie Anderson talked about Swedish Authors, she reviewed 14 different writers from the 18th century to the present. The presentation was very well received. Cookie is back, this time the topic of her presentation is Swedish Film, including information about the most famous Film Directors and Movie Makers, and information of the movies they directed.

Cookie also had an idea to include Swedish Trivia in the Fika meetings, 10 questions that everyone participating could answer before the Fika meeting, and then we would quickly review the answers at the Fika meeting. So, for March 21 meeting you can get the questions through the following link. This is all voluntary and with no specific rules, but if you participate, you may end up with a small price.

March 21, 2026, Trivia

After the presentation and reviewing the Trivia questions enjoy traditional Fika the Swedish way. If you can, bring a dish to share. Do you have a favorite Swedish recipe you want to share? If so, bring it and we can add it to the website Swedish Food Heritage page.

Come to the first SAHSWI Fika meeting of the new year scheduled Saturday, January 24, starting at 1:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of the Milwaukee Zoo.

Program: Somewhere in England by Sherry Engstrom

Somewhere in England is the title of the story Sherry will present. It is a story, show-and-tell and narrative of her two Swedish-American parents and their WW II love letters and resulting 70 year marriage.

Sherry is a retired adjunct professor of Humanities and Communications. In retirement she is a writing coach. She gives classes and workshops on creative writing and memoirs, especially helping elders write and tell their life stories. She is also a residential pet and house sitter and volunteers in her community, Lake Geneva.

After the presentation enjoy traditional Fika the Swedish way. If you can, bring a dish to share. Do you have a favorite Swedish recipe you want to share? If so, bring it and we can add it to the website Swedish Food Heritage page.

The first SAHSWI Fika meeting of the year is soon coming up. We can then greet each other God Fortsättning. In Sweden, at this time of the year the common greeting when seeing somebody is “God Fortsättning” meaning “Wishing you a good continuation of the new year”. (You wish people “Gott Nytt År” (Happy New Year) on New Year’s Day.)

The Fika meeting is scheduled Saturday, January 24, 2026, starting at 1:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall, Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of the Milwaukee Zoo

Writer and Speaker Sherry Engstrom will present the program, a unique, immigration story she titled “Somewhere in England”.

After the presentation enjoy traditional Fika the Swedish way. If you can, bring a dish to share. Do you have a favorite Swedish recipe you want to share? If so, bring it and we can add it to the website Swedish Food Heritage page.

It was the morning of December 14, temperatures outside were extremely cold, we looked forward to the Lucia celebration inside the beautiful Fox Point Lutheran Church. Then it happened, there was a gas leak at the church, the event had to be cancelled or rescheduled. Through quick actions from the Church, Lucia Program Director Stina Lemery, and SAHSWI volunteers, everyone involved or invited were notified, and new plans had to be established for a new date.

On Sunday December 28 Lucia could be celebrated without a hitch. Most of the participants in the Lucia program were able to join, and overall, about 80 people attended the event.

After a final rehearsal, the program could begin with the procession led by 2025 Lucia Madeleine Franke, followed by attendants, Leighton Ehrengren, Kenzie Klagmann, Ida Knox*, Ella and Emilia Lemery, Mila Leon, Thea Quealy, Villa Sjöberg, Layla Gallo, Starboys Camden Ehrengren, Joseph Kaltenberg*, Olof Knox*, Gingerbread men Arlo Ehrengren, Eli Kaltenberg*, Nora, Isla and Wilam Thode-Edström, and Little Santas Astrid and Oskar Erkander*, and Nova and Orion Balistreri. (* missing due to re-schedule)

The Lucia program was directed by Stina Lemery, the Lucia Story and Song was introduced by Swedish School Teacher Amanda Balistreri, and the Piano was played by Matt Byczynski. The Lucia program included 9 well known Swedish Christmas songs, starting with Sankta Lucia and ending with Stilla Natt sung both in Swedish and English (Silent Night). The Lucia Crown includes 5 candles, and for each of the candles a poem was read by the program participants both in Swedish and in English and the candle was lit.

• THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Leighton Ehrengren
  • När första ljuset brinner, står julens dörr på glänt, och jubel psalmen klingar i helig tid advent. 
  • When the first Christmas candle is burning, we know Christmas is close by.  
• THE SECOND CHRISTMAS CANDLE– Mila Leon 
  • När andra ljuset brinner, vi höra löftets ord, om Konungen som kommer med frälsning till vår jord. 
  • When the 2nd Christmas candle is burning, we hear the promise of old that a Savior is coming. 
• THE THIRD CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Olof Knox
  • När tredje ljuset tändas i kulen vinter tid. Vi höra himlens klockor, som ringa fröjd och frid. 
  • When the 3rd candle is lit, we hear the bells of heaven wishing all peace and goodwill 
• THE FOURTH CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Joseph Kaltenberg  
  • Vi se i fjärde ljuset en stjärna underbar, som ger åt livets gåtor ett evighetens svar. 
  • As the 4^th candle is lit, we see a beautiful star with promise to all of life eternal. 
• THE FIFTH CHRISTMAS CANDLE –   Ida Knox 
  • Sist julens lilla tomte med gran och juleljus, nu önskar juleglädje och frid i hem och hus.
  •  At last the little Christmas elf with Christmas tree and lights, is wishing all a joyful and blessed Christmas. 

After the Lucia program Fika was served in the Fellowship Hall including coffee and Juices and cookies and pastries, a Cinnamon Kringle from O&H Bakery, 7 different cookies from Åsljunga, Sweden, Brownies shaped like a Gingerbread man baked by Kerri Ehrengren, and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The final activity of the day was the traditional Dance Around the Christmas tree based on traditional Swedish song and dance.

We like to thank everybody involved and coming to the Lucia celebration ensuring this wonderful Swedish tradition is maintained. Our sincere thanks to Stina, Amanda and Matt and all the children for a beautiful perfect Lucia program, to Pastor Bill and Operations Director Kelly Price for having us at the church and for all the help and support, Kerri for all the preparations of the Fika, Wendy Pelsis and Joann Kreimendahl for serving the welcome table, Bev Wenzel for preparing printed programs and sign-up sheets and everybody that was helping with the setup, takedown and cleanup of the Fika.

The 2025 Santa Lucia celebration has now been re-scheduled to December 28, 2025 at 2PM at Fox Point Lutheran Church, 7510 N Santa Monica Blvd, Fox Point, WI.

Swedish New Year celebration at Lakefront Brewery

There are still some tickets left for the Lakefront Brewery Swedish New Year celebration at 1872 North Commerce Street, Milwaukee, WI.  https://lakefrontbrewery.com/events/swedish-new-year-2

From our home to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

2025 Santa Lucia program, on December 14, 2025 at 2PM at Fox Point Lutheran Church, has been cancelled due to a major gas leak at the church.

A new date and time will be established and posted on the website.

Santa Lucia will be celebrated again in 2025 at the beautiful Fox Point Lutheran Church. Program Director Stina Lemery reports that the practice of the program is going well which indicates another great performance by Lucia and her Attendants (Tärnor), Star boys (Stjärngossar), Gingerbread men (Pepparkaksgubbar) and little Santas (Tomtenissar).

Come and enjoy the 2025 Santa Lucia program, on December 14, 2025 at 2PM at Fox Point Lutheran Church, 7510 N Santa Monica Blvd, Fox Point, WI.

After the program there will be Fika, everybody will be invited to dance around the Christmas tree, and hopefully Jultomten, Santa Claus will be checking in. It is custom at SAHSWI Fika meetings attendants may bring a dish to share. This will not be the case at this Lucia celebration. Coffee, juice and sweats will be provided.

After a truly special Swedish New Year’s Eve celebration last year, Lakefront Brewery is welcoming back the Swedish Community and anyone else that is looking to immerse themselves in a night of Swedish delights to celebrate the New Year 2026. Read more about it and to buy tickets below.