York Anglo Scandinavian Society ​

by Amy Sinar, age 13, from York "I know it’s only November," but Saturday honestly felt like Christmas had already arrived—Scandinavian style. The York Anglo-Scandinavian Society held a Christmas craft event at the Norwegian Study Centre, and about fifty people showed up. It felt like stepping into a tiny Nordic village for the afternoon and it was a-mazing! When we walked in, the first thing I noticed was the giant screen showing a crackling fire, like those cosy TV fireplac

by Amy Sinar, age 13, from York Hello! Like most people, I absolutely love Christmas – the lights, the decorations, the food, and the feeling that something special is just around the corner. But recently, I learned about how Christmas is celebrated in Norway, and I have to say, it sounds magical.  In Norway, Christmas is called “Jul” , and it’s much more than just a single day – it’s a whole season. The celebrations start with Advent , four Sundays before Christmas Eve. On e

By Amy Sinar age 12 When I first read about Astrid Lindgren, I was amazed by how much of an impact one writer could have on children’s literature—not just in Sweden, but all around the world. Best known for creating the iconic character Pippi Longstocking, Lindgren is considered one of the most influential children’s authors of the 20th century. Astrid Lindgren was born in Sweden in 1907 and grew up in the countryside, which inspired many of her stories. She began writing sto

In 2016, Thom and his wife Poppy were living and working in London. Both originally from York, they were beginning to wonder what life outside the capital might look like. Six months after the Brexit referendum, that question became real when Poppy was approached by a recruiter at Spotify.