Trans-Siberian Orchestra

[Roma_Victrix]

Firstly, I just want to say how marvelous it is to have an entire band comprised of transgenders, transsexuals and indigenous people from Siberia. To brave the cold harsh winters there but also form such a famous band in defiance of Putin's brutal attempts to squash LGBTQ people and oppress non-white ethnic minorities is a truly admirable achievement. All of that and they still have the time to crank out some really great heavy metal and progressive rock tunes for our enjoyment, including Christmas holiday music like this one here! Enjoy.



Gets you super pumped and ready for moshing in your living room and knocking everything over for the holidays while your mom screams and tells you to stop drinking but instead you fall on top of the Christmas tree, start a small electrical fire that spreads up the window drapes, and ruin Christmas for the whole family! Yay!

[Septentrionalis]

Gets you super pumped and ready for moshing in your living room and knocking everything over for the holidays while your mom screams and tells you to stop drinking but instead you fall on top of the Christmas tree, start a small electrical fire that spreads up the window drapes, and ruin Christmas for the whole family! Yay!

Ruin? You are basically describing what a successful Christmas is in much of Finland. And most likely Norway too to some extent. Sweden is watching us both with disdain, of course, because they are such a bunch of prudes.

The Swedish idea of a Christmas dinner getting out of hand is when Per-Erik has two shots of snaps with his Janssons frestelse and Uffe gets a second cup of glögg to wash down his risgrynsgröt.

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

Sweden is watching us both with disdain, of course, because they are such a bunch of prudes.

I think it has less to do with being prude than alcohol being so expensive in Sweden.

Sweden are normally completely drunken after a visit in Germany, if they crawl on the ferry back to Sweden.^^

[Septentrionalis]

Sweden are normally completely drunken after a visit in Germany, if they crawl on the ferry back to Sweden.^^

Now that you mention, Swedes do seem to go into second gear when they are abroad! Thank you for the confirmation on Germany. I have seen them do that in other countries. I think it may have to do with them being released from their collective social sense of appropriate behavior rather than the price of alcohol (although that helps for sure). In Germany, there are not so many other Swedes judging them, so they can get a little crazy.

[Roma_Victrix]

My mom went to Sweden once because she's part Swedish, but I was not aware that Swedes suffered under the oppressive yoke of expensive alcohol. The horror! My alcoholic brother would languish in such conditions.

However, as a Murican I would trade that any day for their universal healthcare, universal childcare, elderly care, paid family leave, paid maternal leave, stipends for children under 16, tuition-free college for both Swedish citizens and those of the European Economic Area, etc.

Can I has bit of social democracy, please?

Even the aforementioned Russians enjoy a lot of social welfare programs, although I wouldn't want to be a transgender person living there, even if I was in a famous metal band orchestra! You'd definitely get kicked in the face, Jackie Chan style.

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

Well and on top of that social welfare you would get Köttbullar.

https://hejsweden.com/en/swedish-meatballs-recipe/

But i would go to Denmark.

They have all those social advantages too and they have also tasty meatballs with a sauce for which you would kill.

And they have Danish Cookies.^^

[Septentrionalis]

However, as a Murican I would trade that any day for their universal healthcare, universal childcare, elderly care, paid family leave, paid maternal leave, stipends for children under 16, tuition-free college for both Swedish citizens and those of the European Economic Area, etc.

I am genuinely happy every time I hear a Murican profess his appreciation of those policies. They really are a great thing, and I think that many who suspect they are some kind of communist plot just don't know what they're missing and how little money and personal freedom they would be sacrificing if they embraced them.

Maternal leave is actually called parental leave (föräldraledighet in Swedish), because it applies to both parents. They can usually take turns staying home so that women's careers aren't hurt by default.

And they have Danish Cookies.^^

And relatively cheap alcohol sold around the clock. Denmark truly is amazing.

[Septentrionalis]

In this theme, I would like to introduce to you a quirky little tradition from my neck of the woods:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maternity_package

[Roma_Victrix]

I'd like to visit Denmark one day, but we're currently experiencing the plague here a bit more intensely than before and most countries won't take an American now!

We're basically the equivalent of those diseased rats on Venetian ships during the Black Death.

[Flinn]

We're basically the equivalent of those diseased rats on Venetian ships during the Black Death.

I've felt like that for all my life, good to know that I'm not alone