Author Topic: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!  (Read 17844 times)

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2013, 11:57:58 am »
LOL @ the Alps!   ;)

I'm not sure you'd be better off there, they probably have different types of yodeling for various holidays, that you'd have to learn.  ;D




Actually, I spoke too hastily about the number of holidays.
Just read in today's paper a compilation of the number of public holidays in 2013 in various countries.

Germany    - 9
Sweden    - 10
USA         - 10
France      - 12
Russia       - 14
Argentine  - 19!

So it seams that Germany, USA and Sweden are together at the bottom of the league, at least this year. But I think it's safe to say that in Sweden we have more public holidays in clusters than USA, esp at this time of year.

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Offline Mandy21

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2013, 06:00:22 am »
LOL @ the Alps!   ;)

Did I ever mention how geographically-challenged I am?  Here in America when I was growing up in the 70's and early 80's, they didn't teach a single course in geography in public schools.  They set down a twirly globe somewhere in each classroom, and that's about all we got.  America was still so unbelievably arrogant as to be convinced we would always be the one and only world power that existed.  I would bet that an extremely large percentage of Americans actually live their entire lives within these borders.  Anyway, when I think of the northernmost European countries, I just call them the Alps based on having seen "Heidi" too many times as a child.  I think you're all walking down the street side-by-side with reindeer and living in the dark half the year.  Is that not the case??  ;D
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Offline Penthesilea

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2013, 06:03:25 am »
Germany    - 9
Sweden    - 10
USA         - 10
France      - 12
Russia       - 14
Argentine  - 19!


Poor us!

The nine in Germany are the bare minimum though, the nation-wide holidays. The federal states have additional holidays which vary from state to state. Also, in the nine holidays Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday are not included, which are holidays, but on Sundays anyway. And then we have Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off, which are called Quiet Days, not official holidays, thus didn't make it on the list.

Now I wonder whether Aregentina also has additional free days which didn't make it on the list. It's never too late to migrate, now is it? ;) ;D

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2013, 06:16:25 am »
Did I ever mention how geographically-challenged I am?  Here in America when I was growing up in the 70's and early 80's, they didn't teach a single course in geography in public schools.  They set down a twirly globe somewhere in each classroom, and that's about all we got.  America was still so unbelievably arrogant as to be convinced we would always be the one and only world power that existed.  I would bet that an extremely large percentage of Americans actually live their entire lives within these borders.  Anyway, when I think of the northernmost European countries, I just call them the Alps based on having seen "Heidi" too many times as a child.  I think you're all walking down the street side-by-side with reindeer and living in the dark half the year.  Is that not the case??  ;D

You forgot the naked women. The blong, naked women walking down the streets all the time.   ::) ;D


But seriously, that's horrifying that a whole nation didn't learn any geography in school at all!

Düva pööp is a förce of natüre

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2013, 06:36:07 am »

Poor us!

The nine in Germany are the bare minimum though, the nation-wide holidays. The federal states have additional holidays which vary from state to state. Also, in the nine holidays Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday are not included, which are holidays, but on Sundays anyway. And then we have Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off, which are called Quiet Days, not official holidays, thus didn't make it on the list.

Now I wonder whether Aregentina also has additional free days which didn't make it on the list. It's never too late to migrate, now is it? ;) ;D


I'm not sure how the list was made exactly. And of course it varies from year to year.
But they did say that Argentinians normally only have two weeks of vacation.

So, I don't know about migrating.....


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Online southendmd

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2013, 11:42:34 am »
But seriously, that's horrifying that a whole nation didn't learn any geography in school at all!

I can't speak for the whole nation, but I certainly learned a lot of geography--like six years--in grammar school. I was one of my favorite subjects. At one point not only did I know all the US capitals but I also knew the difference between Sweden and Switzerland!
« Last Edit: January 06, 2013, 01:46:04 pm by southendmd »

Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2013, 01:34:15 pm »
I can't speak for the whole nation, but I certainly learned a lot of geography--like six years--in grammar school. I was one of my favorite subjects. At one point not only did I know all the US capitols but I also knew the difference between Sweden and Switzerland!

Oh, that's wonderful to hear, Paul!

Makes me yodel with joy while I curdle the milk and wind the cuckoo clock.

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Offline Penthesilea

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #17 on: January 06, 2013, 02:04:38 pm »
Oh, that's wonderful to hear, Paul!

Makes me yodel with joy while I curdle the milk and wind the cuckoo clock.


Ehem, speaking of geography.... cuckoo clocks come from the Black Forest, not Switzerland, not Alps or anything. Just sayin' ;)


Offline Sason

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2013, 02:15:25 pm »

Ehem, speaking of geography.... cuckoo clocks come from the Black Forest, not Switzerland, not Alps or anything. Just sayin' ;)



Uhm....maybe I'm confusing a cuckoo clock with a delicious torte, then.  8)

Georgraphy is such a pain!  ::)

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Offline delalluvia

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Re: The horror of Swedish holiday greetings!
« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2013, 03:51:14 pm »
Did I ever mention how geographically-challenged I am?  Here in America when I was growing up in the 70's and early 80's, they didn't teach a single course in geography in public schools.  They set down a twirly globe somewhere in each classroom, and that's about all we got. America was still so unbelievably arrogant as to be convinced we would always be the one and only world power that existed. I would bet that an extremely large percentage of Americans actually live their entire lives within these borders.  Anyway, when I think of the northernmost European countries, I just call them the Alps based on having seen "Heidi" too many times as a child.  I think you're all walking down the street side-by-side with reindeer and living in the dark half the year.  Is that not the case??  ;D

I can't speak for the whole nation, but I certainly learned a lot of geography--like six years--in grammar school. I was one of my favorite subjects. At one point not only did I know all the US capitals but I also knew the difference between Sweden and Switzerland!

Same here. I learned geography as a child in school too, but it was part of American and World History and not a separate class.

And I wouldn't criticize Americans too much for staying in our borders their whole lives. The US isn't Europe.  I can drive for 8 hours and still be in the same state - in Europe, I would have likely passed through two maybe 3 entirely different countries.  It's a lot easier for Europeans to travel than Americans.  We sometimes have to cross our entire continent and then entire oceans to get somewhere not American.