We thank Gitte for telling us all about Christmas in Denmark.
The first of December is the first day of the Christmas month and all the children will start opening their Christmas calendar. The calendar has 24 windows one for each day. Some calendars have pictures behind the windows and others have pieces of chocolate some also make embroidered ones and tie little gifts on it.
This day we will also start watching a special Christmas television show and every day they will show a new episode. The Danish television makes one for children and also one for adults.
We use a lot of candles during this month, we have the Advent wreath, which has four candles and we lit a candle the last four Sundays before Christmas evening and we have the candle with dates so we can follow very closely how many days left before Christmas evening.
In the streets we decorate with trees, light and reed and white hearts. Inside the houses at Christmas in Denmark we also decorate and we eat a lot of Christmas cookies and drink a special mix called “glögg” (warm red wine, maybe some brandy, spices, raisins and almond). We also eat something we call apple-pieces even though it is without apples. It is a special kind of batter which you put on a special pan and then you eat them together with jam and sugar.
On the 13th December we have the Lucia processions where young girls are carrying a candle and singing the Lucia song it mostly takes place in schools, resting home, hospitals etc. You feel very lucky if you are chosen to be the Lucia bride who will walk in front of the procession with a wreath with candles on top of her head. During this procession all electric lights are switched off and you can only see the candles from the girls and hear their singing.
We also use the time before Christmas in Denmark to write a card to our family and friends where we wish them a merry Christmas and of course we also use a lot of time to go out and find good presents for the family.
During December most companies invites their employees to a Christmas dinner, where we have the possibility to enjoy a good meal together with our colleagues. Normally there are a lot of different dishes and you can drink a special Christmas beer or snaps.
On the 24th December we have to prepare the Christmas dinner and after this a lot of people go to the church and hear about the birth of Jesus. In the afternoon a lot of children and also adults watch the Disney Show.
In the evening Christmas dinner will consist of roast pork, goose or turkey served with cooked or browned potatoes and red cabbage. As dessert we have a special kind of cold rice pudding together with cherry sauce. In the pudding bowl we put a whole almond and the person who will have this almond on the plate will receive a gift of marzipan or chocolate and is said to have good luck throughout the new year.
When we finish the meal it is time to walk around the Christmas tree and sing Christmas songs and finally to open the presents which are placed under the tree.
The next days we visit our families for a large lunch to celebrate the Christmas together with the whole family.
Thank you to Gitte
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