From the creators of Simply Scandi, this Christmas edition is for Scandi lovers everywhere. We’ll help you prepare your home, shop for considered gifts and get ready to enjoy this most wonderful time of the year

Christmas at Simply Scandi starts early, with our Special jogging alongside the summer break, as the team juggle (I nearly typed jingle!) work, holidays and childcare. But I’ve always loved it and can’t imagine a summer without a Christmas Special to work on. And I do love everything – from finding the Christmas homes and writing the decorating pages, to editing mouth-watering festive recipes and finding gift ideas for my own family from favourite brands, all with a big dose of Scandi loveliness.

Can you believe that this is Christmas Special number five (six with our launch digital issue), and I’m still discovering Scandi traditions and special tree-decorating moments. Take the homes in this special, each with its own take on Christmas: in Sweden, Erika’s tree is brought in two weeks before Christmas and decorated with baubles chosen by her children, while in Denmark, Alexandra inherited her decorations from her dad’s family. Sofia’s Swedish greenhouse serves as a place to gather and slow down, and Mari uses paper decorations and lots of lights to style her Christmas in Norway.

Make sure you read our guide to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo too, which take on a very different feel during Advent, with markets, ice skating and even cold-water swims all part of the fun.

Our gift guide will also (hopefully) help with the shopping this year too – you can also buy a year’s subscription to your favourite Simply Scandi magazine.

Wishing you a happy Christmas (when it comes),

Editor, Simply Scandi

Photography: Living4Media; Living Inside; The Scandinvian Year by Brontë Aurell/Ryland Peters & Small; Bloomingville.