A very Danish Christmas

Josiah’s host family welcomed us in to celebrate Christmas with them, which started with Christmas Eve morning mass and finished with us sharing rice pudding to see who would find the one special full almond left inside to get the prize. We ate duck, pork, salads, red cabbage, different potatoes, and drank tradional Christmas beer, grøgg (mulled wine), wine, and sparkling water. We decorated the tree, placed and lit real candles, sang carols as we held hands and walked around their fully decorated tree, opened gifts, and played games. Walked their youngest son in a stroller and left him very well bundled on the back porch while many of us took the more traditional nap on the couch or snuck back into Josiah room for a quick shut eye. We told and listened to stories, thanked Marie and Henrik for the wonderful meal, for allowing us to share it with them and for taking good care of Josiah for this school year. They told us how wonderful our son was and were glad to share their Christmas. A full and vibrant family Christmas shared between us all.

The morning started with a brisk morning walk to the harbor and along the shore. Then getting everyone ready for Christmas Eve mass, which we had chosen the early morning service thinking it would be less crowded. As we hiked up the hill to the 900-year old Roskilde Cathedral the church bells started ringing to tell us the doors were open, and then we saw the orderly and very long line. Fortunately, the cathedral hold over 1,500 people.

Marie was able to save us two pews just under the King’s box and across from the beautiful pipe organ. We sat in wonder at being part of the ongoing history of one of Denmark’s oldest churches where most of the Danish kings and queens are entombed. The youngest kids ran up and down the aisle as if it was just your local church and not this place rooted in history – which it is, since it is just five blocks from their house. We tried to follow the program of traditional Danish carols and then the reading from Luke. After the homily and listening to the choir, the large main King’s Doors were opened, which only happen once a year, at Christmas, and the congregation filed out back into the partly sunny and still cold morning.

At the house, Henrik, who is the main cook, had already started making the dressing for duck and prepared the ham. The rest of stayed out of the way and played games with the kids.

We decorated the tree with some of ornaments passsed down from grandparents. We actually placed real candles on the tree, yes, still surprised that it is a real thing, and amazingly it works fine.

The meal comes in waves, as the duck is ready and the pork still has a way to go. You know the pork is good when the skin is crunchy like bacon, and this one is so nice and crunchy that Siri even has seconds. We have boiled and glazed potatoes, red cabbage, and a fruit salad. We are all content.

The evening starts to wind down as we open presents around the tree, and the kids are excited as they open a box with a new scooter and another with a small toy electric piano. As the volume rises with kids gleeful sounds and the now amplified electric sounds, Marie mentions to us that she is looking forward to when the batteries run out.

We finish the evening with rice pudding and Henrik is the lucky one who has found the full almond. He shares his gift of a chocolate and marscipone pig. We light the candles on the tree, sing carols while we circle around, and finish up the last gifts. After a few more rounds of games and stories, we call it a night and are glad our place is only four houses down.

A full Danish traditional Christmas. We feel like we understand a bit more after of experiencing their national custom of contentment and coziness called “hygee.”