Stein Eriksen Blog

With its rich heritage of folk art, it's no surprise that out of Norway emerged a distinctively patterned woolen sweater. This sweater is now recognized around the globe as being iconically Norwegian, and tourists visiting the country often purchase one as a souvenir. The pattern of this sweater was designed by knitter Unn Søiland in 1953 and was eventually named after, and made famous by Stein's older brother, Marius Eriksen Jr.

Stein wasn't the only skier in his family. His father, Marius Eriksen Sr. was an avid cross-country skier who opened a shop in Oslo selling ski gear. His brother, Marius Jr., was a Norwegian champion in alpine skiing in both 1947 and 1948. In addition to his skiing success, Marius was also pilot during World War II in the Norwegian Army Air Service and after the war, an actor starring in several films.

Marius's role in the hit Norwegian film Troll i ord in 1954 is what made the Marius sweater design boom in popularity. He is seen in many scenes wearing the sweater. After the film's success, everyone wanted to knit their own Marius sweater. The pattern became legendary. Marius was already a decorated war hero for his exploits as a fighter pilot, and his acting career further cemented his popularity across the country.

Stein and Marius's mother, Birgit "Bitten" Eriksen loved to knit and made and sold the now-iconic sweater in their father's ski shop in Oslo. The original pattern featured crosses and diamonds predominating across the shoulders in navy, white, and red, the colors of the Norwegian flag. As the pattern's popularity grew, the use of colors became more varied and creative. 

Stein himself was often photographed skiing in the Marius sweater. Between the two brothers, the sweater and its pattern became an iconic piece of winter wear that remains popular even today. Now, the Marius pattern can be found not only on sweaters, but on mittens, hats, t-shirts, and more.

The Marius sweater is just one example of Norwegian heritage that permeates Stein Eriksen Lodge. Throughout the Lodge, thick wood paneling, painted murals, and patterned accents offer a Norwegian escape rooted in cultural heritage encouraging guests to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Book your stay now and enjoy a mountain escape steeped in old-world charm this winter season. ​

​Here at Stein Eriksen Lodge we are fully embracing the festive season with traditional decorations, seasonal aromas, and twinkling lights. The thirty-two-foot Christmas tree takes center stage in our luxurious Mountain Lodge. Hand decorated by our staff, the annual tree trimming marks the onset of the holidays at Stein. A freshly-cut tree is brought inside, hoisted up using ropes and manpower, and then carefully trimmed and decorated with ornaments, toys, and shimmering lights. This elaborate tree reaches from the floor to the apex of the vaulted ceiling in the Lodge and is finished with oversized gifts at its base. This tree combines with the warm crackling of the wood-burning fireplace and the sweet indulgence of a larger-than-life gingerbread rocket ship to create the perfect picture of holiday cheer. 

For our in-house guests, mark your calendar with this exciting lineup of holiday activities to celebrate the season and bring in the New Year!
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Tuesday, December 17, and Monday, December 23, 5pm-7pm – Gingerbread House Making
Let our expert pastry chef help you create a gingerbread house of your own to keep and share. 


Friday, December 20, 5pm-7pm – Ornament Decorating
Create and decorate a special ornament of your own to treasure using provided ceramic ornaments and cheerful paints.


Saturday, December 21, 5pm-7pm – Cookie Decorating
Frost and decorate your own selection of delicious holiday cookies.


Sunday, December 22, 3pm-5pm – Pictures with Santa
Get your annual pictures taken with Santa right here at the Lodge.


Thursday, December 26, TBD  – Make Your Own Bear
Discover the fun of stuffed animal making when you create your very own Stein Eriksen Lodge Bear.


Saturday, December 28, All Day – Champions Club Contests
All day long, Champions Club will be holding exciting contests for our guests.


Sunday, December 29, TBD – Kids Arts and Crafts
Kids staying at the Lodge get their own chance to take part in seasonal arts and crafts.
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Sleigh Rides – Deer Valley Resort
Allow our Concierge team to book a sleigh ride for you through the snow covered mountainscape of Deer Valley Resort to complete your holiday experience. 

Please be aware that some of these activities do incur an additional cost to participate. For more information or to RSVP for any activity, please call our Concierge desk at (435) 645-6460.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Stein Eriksen Lodge!

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday has passed, Stein Eriksen Lodge is undergoing a festive transformation. Outside, fresh snow blankets the ground and rooftops while lights twinkle on the aspens and pines. Inside, our staff is hard at work decorating the halls. Wreaths, garlands, a 32-foot tall decorated tree, and a massive gingerbread display welcomes guests as they walk into the Mountain Lodge. While all of these elaborate decorations provide the Lodge with a festive spirit, we dove a little deeper into the 18-year tradition of the making of the enormous gingerbread display.

Theme
The theme for the gingerbread display this year was inspired by a trip our Executive Pastry Chef Jeremy Garica took to Disneyland with his family. He pulled inspiration from both the Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland and an Atlas V Lego set he purchased for his son a while back. The theme? Retro Rocket Ship.
 
“Our elaborate gingerbread display has become a staple of Stein Eriksen Lodge holiday traditions for our guests, and we are thrilled to unveil our spacecraft constructed entirely of sweets,” said Garcia. “We are incredibly proud of this year’s groundbreaking display, equipped to ‘boldly go where no (gingerbread) man – or woman – has gone before.’”
 
Ingredients
It takes a lot of ingredients to construct such a monstrous display. 150 pounds of flour, 8 gallons of molasses, hundreds of eggs, 50 pounds of sugar, and 40 pounds of butter to be exact. Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are added to provide the classic gingerbread smell, look, and taste. Then, Chef Garcia and his team use Royal Icing to stick everything together. According to Chef, this icing not only smells better than glue but works better too.
 
Construction
The construction of this year’s gingerbread display provides a new and interesting challenge to the pastry and engineering teams. The spacecraft will have a vertical construction requiring the team to build it in pieces for ease of assembly. The weight of the ship also provides an interesting challenge for set-up. After the ship is in place, Chef Garcia encourages guests to find fun and silly things on the rocket ship he has hidden.
 
A combination of the elaborate gingerbread display, the extravagant 32-foot decorated tree, and other decorations transform the Lodge. Here, guests are transported to a festive utopia. Join us this holiday season and see this impressive gingerbread display yourself. Book with our Holiday Activities package and spend the holiday season surrounded by out-of-this-world decorations.