Scandinavian Advent Calendar Day 17
Hello, dear friends! We’ve arrived at day seventeen of our Advent Calendar, and by my reckoning, it’s time to address the Christmas tree. I don’t typically decorate this early—blame my little predator, who views every dangling ornament as personal provocation. Last year I praised her restraint in these very pages, congratulating myself on not stressing over broken glass. Naturally, that’s when everything descended into chaos.
This year I’m testing a new approach, one perfectly aligned with our Scandinavian theme: a tree decorated primarily with wood and paper ornaments, chosen as much for their durability as their aesthetic. If Mimi decides to stage a midnight assault, at least nothing irreplaceable will shatter.
I use an artificial tree each year—not ideal, I know, but practical for city living. To compensate for the missing scent of fresh pine, I diffuse essential oil throughout the apartment during December. It’s not quite the same as bringing the forest indoors, but it helps.
From my research and from the trees I observed recently in Copenhagen, Scandinavian Christmas trees tend toward the rustic and playful. They favor neutrals—whites, creams, natural wood tones—sometimes punctuated by traditional holiday red. What distinguishes them most is their restraint: wooden ornaments, woven paper decorations, an airy arrangement that allows the deep green of the tree itself to remain visible. There’s no impulse toward abundance for its own sake; instead, each ornament has room to breathe, to be noticed individually.
Besides a few bookish ornaments you’ve seen in previous years, I’ve added large paper hearts from my favorite Danish shop here in Paris—pre-cut pieces that weave together into three-dimensional forms, a traditional Scandinavian craft that’s both beautiful and surprisingly sturdy. I’ve also incorporated my collection of winter-themed wooden toys, some discreet acrylic snowflakes and icicles that catch the light without overwhelming it, and a handful of textile ornaments I already owned. There’s no strict color scheme this year, only an intention: muted tones, natural materials, lightness.
Once the fairy lights illuminate everything, the effect is quietly magical—not dramatic or dazzling, but warm and inviting. This corner will be my reading refuge for the next few weeks as I continue exploring Scandinavian folk tales and work my way through that Norwegian knitting pattern. The tree provides just enough festivity without demanding attention, which feels very Nordic indeed.
Until tomorrow, dear friends !
Written by Alexandra Poppy
Writer, reader & curator of The Ritual of Reading
I’m Alexandra, the voice behind The Ritual of Reading. Somewhere between a stack of novels and a half-finished pot of tea, I keep finding traces of the life I want to live—slower, richer, filled with stories. The Ritual of Reading is where I gather what I love: books that linger, places with a past, and rituals that make ordinary days feel a little more meaningful. I write from Paris, where elegant bookshops and old-fashioned cafĂ©s offer endless inspiration—and I share it here, hoping it brings a spark to your own days, too.
