Hi, CarolC... One of my brother's friends at college was an exchange student from Sweden and he stayed with my family at Christmas break...

Jonas showed us how to make colorful woven heart ornaments (click). (You could use foil wrapping paper.) Along the same line, origami cranes are nice... not Scandinavian, but they are symbolic of Peace. If you add a length of thread before folding, they can be hung as mobiles. Another one is woven paper stars (challenge your son). Here they are called "Swedish Stars" (but German or Pennsylvania Dutch is more common description) ... I found that the strips you tear away from the sides of perforated pin-feed computer paper are just the right size for this.

May be traditional: J gave us a homemade gingerbread heart (about 12") that hangs from a red ribbon through a small hole near the top. The cookie has been indestructible for over 20 years, but the white icing did dry out & chip off. (use puffy craft paint instead?) There was a decorative edging and the words "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" in Swedish. I have it written down somewhere, but cannot locate just now...
God Yul och Glad Nyåren translation was found here, but I seem to remember something a little different (3 shorter words for HNY).

Another present that J gave my folks was a beautiful bell. (other ideas for crafts are at same site.)

Those days were nice for me... after supper we played twin fiddle music, the Swedish folk tunes. On Christmas Day I was gifted with the manuscripts. They are not carols (he didn't sing us any that I recall), but I think of Christmas when I play them now. One dance in particular is my favorite and I will write it out to post; cannot promise how soon that may be... (but Carol, send me PM if you would like me to mail you a copy sooner.) There is an anthology of Swedish fiddle tunes (most are with harmony) by Ben Haley at Elderly.(search keyword "Swedish".)

Other memories: wasa bread with peanut butter at the end of meals, the incessant guessing game, midnight Mass, skating and ping pong with Uncle Hubie, jokes, card games, the sound of wooden shoes running up the stairs...

wishing happy new memories for you,
Mrs. Z