Danish Christmas

What a great day! We went to a home schooler's house for a Danish Christmas celebration. Lone opened her home up to a small group of us for food, crafts and traditional Danish holiday stories.
Lone is from Denmark. Her mother still lives there and apparently sent many wonderful things to the US for our celebration. Lone (pronounced loan-uh) welcomed us with warm cocoa, homemade danish cookies and Æbleskiver . She showed us how she made them (my kids called them puffies) from a special pan that her mother sent her. The story goes that the Vikings made these balls of dough to eat over a fire on their shields. The shields are said to have many divots in them from use in battle.

Next, we made Danish stars and woven hearts. Wow! She was so patient. Even Bridget was able to make them. They are a lot of fun. We cut up some ribbon and made more when we got home. In Denmark, they sell the ribbon precut and folded in strips. The packaging was all written in Danish with instructions on how to make the stars. too cool.

Last, we got to eat the Ris ala mande, rice pudding with a peeled whole almond hidden inside. The person who got the almond got a gift basket of chocolate from Denmark. Lone laughed about how her grandmother always got the almond and never told anyone until the pudding was all gone.

I am so thankful that I was able to share these traditions, learn about Denmark, and see the joy in Lone's eyes when she shared her childhood memories with us. Quite a warm way to start our Christmas celebrating.