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STRATFORD -When it comes to Swedish holiday activities, the community of Stratford may very well be sticking to old traditions even more than the native country of the town's earliest settlers.

"I've been told by some Swedish visitors that even in Sweden they don't do some of the things we continue to do here," said Carol Larson, who was volunteering her time to teach the art of making Swedish holiday decorations Saturday morning at the annual "Oh isn't it fun to be Swedish" workshop at the Swedish Immigrant Museum in Stratford.

With a Christmas tree decorated with Swedish Santa Clauses, straw ornaments and candles in one corner and a table of tomte elves in another, the Museum is ready to celebrate the holidays in Swedish style.

Those who stopped by Saturday had the opportunity to take part in creating a number of holiday crafts, including miniature woven paper baskets, wooden Swedish ornaments, and Santas made from wooden spoons.

Each ornament, which were shaped like horses, apples, pigs, roosters and hearts is symbolic of something important to the Swedish culture.

The "Dalahast, a small tailless horse symbolizes Swedish frugality and dexterity. The apples represent home and a reminder of mormor's (mother's) apple pies and cakes. Pigs represent the Christmas ham, and the Dala Jupp, or rooster, is said to bring success to the cook's efforts while it also keeps watch over the holiday smorgasbord table.

While most people creating ornaments were children, adults, such as Dorothy Mailander, of Webster City, also took the time to come to Stratford to see the museum and create a few decorations of her own.

"This is for the young at heart, too," said Larson.

For the Schultz family, of Stratford, the crafts became a family activity as Cindy Schultz, her daughter Stacie Schultz and and granddaughter Kelcey Schultz took some time during their bike ride to stop by and create a few ornaments and Santas.

Even Santa himself stopped by to make sure children like 6-year-old Heath Patterson were being extra good this year.

For Patterson, it was the first time he'd made a Christmas ornament at the museum, but he said he's made a few crafts during the museums Pask celebration held each spring.

"I've made an Easter egg before," he said of his prior visits to the museum.

Larson also explained the tale of the jultomte, an elf-like creature said to live under a home's floorboards that can be quite mischievous.

"They like to play jokes," Larson told the children as the they made their crafts. "Tomtes usually wear gray or blue, but jultomtes wear red. They like to receive a bowl of rice pudding on Christmas Eve, and if you forget they might try to trick you."

Closer to Christmas, Stratford also celebrates the Swedish Festival of Lights and the crowning of Saint Lucia in December. The Swedish Foundation of Iowa's Swede Bend Settlement Inc. is seeking Lucia candidates for the Dec. 12 festivities. Women age 16 and older may apply, Larson said. The only requirement is that their ancestors settled in the greater Swede Bend area.

"We do all of the traditions here," Larson said.

Contact Emilie Nelson at (515)573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net