Before buying homeowner’s insurance, have you ever checked if it covers damages from a moose stepping into your living room? This was the topic of the consumer section on the first day we got our newspaper after moving to Stockholm. My American hubby had been there for two days and almost turned around. He’d thought we moved to the suburbs of a capital, not to the back woods.
Well, during the next 11 years, he learned that moose are a big part of Scandinavian culture and everyday life. Moose accidents were a huge topic when he had to retake his driver’s license. You can’t drive anywhere in forested areas without seeing moose warning signs – unless they have been stolen by over-excited tourists. We occasionally met moose on the neighborhood streets and we even had one visiting our back yard. Luckily, it did not get drunk after nibbling on our apple tree!
The king of the Scandinavian forests are not just the largest animal and a traffic safety issue, it has also impacted Scandinavian design and culture more than any other animal.
This Mamma Mu song about ants and moose clapping was one of our favorites when the kids were little. Listen to it here.
The mighty animal has also given its name to a student news publication in Oslo.
We hang moose ornaments in our Christmas trees and moose safety reflectors on our jackets and backpacks and moose dropping jewelry from our ears (they are perfectly safe and actually very pretty)!
The Scandinavian counrties are a treasure trove of moose accents for your home, especially if you are looking for styles other than hunting lodge. The Swedish design company Färg & Form has a line of kitchen gift items with a refreshing moose.
Swedish Dala Moose tea towel by Ekelunds is a fun mix of modern design and very traditional. How cute is that colorful moose! They have also made a towel exclusively for the Swedish American Museum in Chicago—and of course the design includes a moose along with the dala horse!
Enjoy this impressive animal and be careful when you are on the road in the Scandinavian countries!
Elisabeth