When my husband John and I moved back to the Midwest from
Pasadena, California, in 2012, we were attracted to the natural beauty and
historical significance of Stockholm. We
bought TansyHus, built in 1904 by John Lindgren, the village blacksmith. We employed our experience and talents to
turn the house that sits proudly on a hill well away from busy Highway 35 into
a relaxing vacation rental.
John had a concern about the village, though. As an architect and international lighting
designer, John had an affinity for light.
To his dismay, he found Stockholm chilly and dark. After dark during winter, he marveled at the
village’s beauty. The snowlight
reflected off the shop windows and created a picturesque scene. This prompted
him to think of a way to replicate the light and enhance it all through the
village. On his nightly walks through
the village with Bernadette, our golden doodle, and Charlie, our terrier mix,
he began to imagine a Festival of Lights.
He envisioned all the stores embellished with similar white icicle
lights. He would give each building
individual attention and situate the lights to complement its architectural
details. Dubbing the production TheFestival of Lights, John presented his inspiration to the merchants, and they
embraced it enthusiastically with money and encouragement.
When you visit Stockholm this winter season, you will see the
results of John’s inspiration, nearly 1,000’ of energy efficient LED lights
operating from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily.
Notice the pine trees and other common area features that will also be
illuminated, accentuating spaces and individual shop keepers‘seasonal
decorations. Take the opportunity on
Saturday, December 7, to talk with John, iesna, aia, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
about lighting. He will be in The Flat
above Ingebretsens . You can enjoy
Swedish treats and wassail at the same time.
We will culminate our first annual Festival of Lights on
December 21, the winter solstice. The
program is being designed in collaboration with Mykelbust+Sears, the designers
of Stockholm’s Fire & Art 2007-2009.
We’ll give you more details on the event later.
Light is “that quality or tool by which we have gained
almost all the knowledge we have about our universe.” Jean Houston, author of Mystical Dogs in animals as guides to our inner life. Enjoy the lights of Stockholm this season.
We’d love to see you again,
John and Sandra Mykelbust
owners and managers,
