(This post is gonna be long, but I'll post pictures too)
My Christmas really starts on the first Advent Sunday. We normally just sit together as a family (us who live at home = my parents and me) and light the first Advent candle.
From here on, December starts. Every morning, we have breakfast together, as usual, and turn on our "count-down candle." It has 24 numbers (1, 2, 3 .. 24) and you burn the date you're at every day, so on the first of December you burn "1" and in this way you can always keep track on how long it is till Christmas.
Then we open our calenders. This year I had a chocolate one, where you get a new, little chocolate every day till the 24th, and a scratching calender, where you scratch number one, on the first, etc. and you collect different Christmas figures, for example, if you get 10 Christmas Trees, you win a million DKK, which is like a little less than 200.000 USD. I was only one Christmas Tree away from winning, but of course, I didn't. I won like $5 instead (which is too bad when it's only half the price of the calender.)
I've worked a lot all Christmas, 'cause the store is open all Sundays in December and I worked 3/4 + my normal shits, and some extras that I took from others, who didn't have the time themselves. It did pay off, though, and I got payed on the 30th and do now have enough money saved up to come back and visit :)
We also always pick out a Christmas tree together, though my parents did it this year, since I was the one selling them, to raise money to one of the organizations I volunteer in. Then we decorate it together, and I (since I'm the only child left) get to make out Christmas scenery.
On the 23rd of December, we eat Rice Pudding for dinner.
My dad doesn't like it, so he usually eats something else, while me, my mom, and brother enjoys it with a glass of lemonade. Yum!
We also always pick out a Christmas tree together, though my parents did it this year, since I was the one selling them, to raise money to one of the organizations I volunteer in. Then we decorate it together, and I (since I'm the only child left) get to make out Christmas scenery.
On the 23rd of December, we eat Rice Pudding for dinner.
My dad doesn't like it, so he usually eats something else, while me, my mom, and brother enjoys it with a glass of lemonade. Yum!
Then there's, of course, the 24th - CHRISTMAS :)
My youngest brother stayed the night here, and then me, mom, dad, and him, went to the zoo, as every year. We saw the sea lions get fed, and filled out the Christmas contest. We saw Santa's reindeer (on the picture), and froze!
Then we went home, ate lunch, and relaxed, and watched Disney's Christmas Show. Picked up my grandparents, and then my brother, fiancée, and son, came over.
At 6pm, we ate dinner, which is normally duck, roasted pork, different kinds of potatoes, and other side dishes. We didn't get the roasted pork this year, since my grandma got too sick, but nobody was hungry anyways.
For desert, we got "risalamande" which is kinda like rice pudding, but sweeter, and with jelly on top. There is almonds in it, but only one whole nut. The one who gets this, gets a price (normally a box of chocolates or something like that.) This year, my dad got it.
Then we light the candles on the Christmas tree and dance around it/walk around it, while we sing Christmas songs. I know it sounds crazy!
Each family member pick a Christmas song, and then we sing it, starting with the oldest member, ending with the youngest.
This year Santa came back too, he heard we got a new family member :-))
My youngest brother stayed the night here, and then me, mom, dad, and him, went to the zoo, as every year. We saw the sea lions get fed, and filled out the Christmas contest. We saw Santa's reindeer (on the picture), and froze!
Then we went home, ate lunch, and relaxed, and watched Disney's Christmas Show. Picked up my grandparents, and then my brother, fiancée, and son, came over.
At 6pm, we ate dinner, which is normally duck, roasted pork, different kinds of potatoes, and other side dishes. We didn't get the roasted pork this year, since my grandma got too sick, but nobody was hungry anyways.
For desert, we got "risalamande" which is kinda like rice pudding, but sweeter, and with jelly on top. There is almonds in it, but only one whole nut. The one who gets this, gets a price (normally a box of chocolates or something like that.) This year, my dad got it.
Then we light the candles on the Christmas tree and dance around it/walk around it, while we sing Christmas songs. I know it sounds crazy!
Each family member pick a Christmas song, and then we sing it, starting with the oldest member, ending with the youngest.
This year Santa came back too, he heard we got a new family member :-))
Then we open our presents, talk, laugh, enjoy an evening with the family, and that's it! :)
Now, on the 25th, my brother (maybe girlfriends), parents, and me, eat lunch together every year. This year my oldest brother was at the fiancée' parent's house though.
On the 26th, we go to my grandmother's and eat lunch, but since she was still sick, we ordered Italian, so she wouldn't have to cook.
And that is my Christmas for you! Hope I didn't forget anything :)
Merry (late) Christmas!
Love, Mette
Now, on the 25th, my brother (maybe girlfriends), parents, and me, eat lunch together every year. This year my oldest brother was at the fiancée' parent's house though.
On the 26th, we go to my grandmother's and eat lunch, but since she was still sick, we ordered Italian, so she wouldn't have to cook.
And that is my Christmas for you! Hope I didn't forget anything :)
Merry (late) Christmas!
Love, Mette
