Christmas Café for newcomers a hit with attendees

This year's Christmas Café for newcomers, held at the Exploratoriet at Nordanå on Sunday, wasn't quite as packed as last year's event, but it was still a fun day out, at which it was very gratifying for us to meet so many Norran English readers.

Left in Santa hat, Vinuli Thilakaratne, 4, has fun playing with Lego with, right, Vihas Rathnayake, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.

Left in Santa hat, Vinuli Thilakaratne, 4, has fun playing with Lego with, right, Vihas Rathnayake, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.

Foto: Donna Richmond

Migration2024-12-09 19:52

Organised by Welcome House Skellefteå, Medborgarskolan, and Expats & Friends, the Christmas Café provided a great opportunity to connect with many readers after the tumultuous past few months caused by Northvolt's financial difficulties.

The Christmas Café was a free, invite-only, event for those who had been in Skellefteå for two years or less. 

There was fika, coffee and soft drinks, all provided for free, as well as a visit from the big man himself, Santa Claus. There was also the wonderful child-friendly fun provided by the exhibits and installations at the Exploratoriet, and a big room devoted to crafting activities.

Obviously, our photographer, Donna Richmond was very busy taking photos of you all, a selection of which are below.

Crafting with Somte. Left, Adnan Mustafoglu, 37, with his wife Seyma Mustafoglu, 32, and son Iren, 4. They are from Turkey and have lived in Skellefteå for 10 months. Adnan works at Northvolt. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Crafting with Somte. Left, Adnan Mustafoglu, 37, with his wife Seyma Mustafoglu, 32, and son Iren, 4. They are from Turkey and have lived in Skellefteå for 10 months. Adnan works at Northvolt. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Iren, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Iren, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Adnan Mustafoglu, 37, tells Santa, Phillip Cohen, about his wish list. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Adnan Mustafoglu, 37, tells Santa, Phillip Cohen, about his wish list. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left in Santa hat, Vinuli Thilakaratne, 4, has fun playing with Lego with, right, Vihas Rathnayake, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left in Santa hat, Vinuli Thilakaratne, 4, has fun playing with Lego with, right, Vihas Rathnayake, 4. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Sofiat Asifa, 30, with Rayyan, 8 months. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Sofiat Asifa, 30, with Rayyan, 8 months. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Skellefteå Kommun's Cecilia Söderström (left) with Sofia Sturesson (right), get a hug from Santa. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Skellefteå Kommun's Cecilia Söderström (left) with Sofia Sturesson (right), get a hug from Santa. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Hazal Kabakulak, 33, with her son Alp, 2. They live in Bureå with her husband and moved here for his job at Northvolt. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Hazal Kabakulak, 33, with her son Alp, 2. They live in Bureå with her husband and moved here for his job at Northvolt. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Emil Molin, 41, plays with his daughter Manda, 5. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Emil Molin, 41, plays with his daughter Manda, 5. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Pavlo Marych, 24, has some interactive fun with his baby Ustim, 5 months. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Pavlo Marych, 24, has some interactive fun with his baby Ustim, 5 months. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Saga Grahn Nilsson performs at 
 the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Saga Grahn Nilsson performs at the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left, Sofiat Asifa, 30, with Rayyan, 8 months. Right, Olaitan Salam, 29, with Jannah Ibrahim, 5 months. Both women live in Skellefteå and moved from Nigeria. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left, Sofiat Asifa, 30, with Rayyan, 8 months. Right, Olaitan Salam, 29, with Jannah Ibrahim, 5 months. Both women live in Skellefteå and moved from Nigeria. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left, Dominika Kondratieva, 32, with her sambo Pavlo Marych, 24, and their baby Ustim, 5 months. They are from Ukraine and have lived in Burträsk for nearly 2 years. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Left, Dominika Kondratieva, 32, with her sambo Pavlo Marych, 24, and their baby Ustim, 5 months. They are from Ukraine and have lived in Burträsk for nearly 2 years. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Saga Grahn Nilsson and Alva Munter perform at the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Saga Grahn Nilsson and Alva Munter perform at the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Kvittra choir perform in the cafe. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Alva Munter and Saga Grahn Nilsson perform at the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.
Exploratoriet's Alva Munter and Saga Grahn Nilsson perform at the 'Fire and Power' show (Eld och Paow) an experimental performance full of surprises and lessons about fire and chemistry. Christmas Cafe, December 2024.