Christmas Utah and Danish Traditions

I am going to attempt to get my blog caught up over the next few days. (Sorry for the delay.... I had to come up for air after Christmas!)  I thought about one long post, but I enjoyed Jessica's blog and her style of serving it up one piece at a time.  So I'll try and follow in her foot steps.

The weather has been unseasonably warm so it just didn't seem like Christmas around here.  We had all of our decorations out and what not, but without snow it just didn't feel very festive. Snow or no snow though, we carried on with our Christmas traditions.  First up- Christmas Utah!  About five years ago while driving home from the store I stumbled upon this house. I could just see part of the lights from the grocery store but  I could tell it was worth my time navigating through the neighborhood to find it.  It was an amazing sight!  The Christmas lights are set to music, reindeer fly, Santa waves in the window, the trees talk and tell jokes, bubble machines make bubbles and there are thousands of lights!  All you do is find a parking spot, tune your radio and sit back and enjoy.  We've been going every year since we found it.  Usually several times considering it's less than two miles away.   Sadly, this was going to be their last year.  So, I did take a little video to remember it. The girls at their age could take it or leave it, but the boys loved it!  We will be missing this tradition that's for sure!  

Growing up we always had Christmas Eve with the Hansen side of my family.  We celebrated it Danish style. There was always plenty of good food, all the traditional Danish meats and plenty of veggies topped with my favorite dessert,  Ris ala mande, (a traditional Christmas dessert similar to rice pudding). We exchanged gifts and the best part for me was to be able to see all of my cousins!  Both my grandparents have passed on, but that doesn't stop me from carrying on this tradition. I host it every year. I have to admit, I have no idea how my grandma did it for 20+ cousins and 8+ adults!!!  I've been told she would cook for an entire week and my numbers are fewer that's for sure. I am always so tired when it's all said and done, but grateful to have the opportunity for us all to get together.  And grateful to be carrying on this tradition for my children.

We drew names and each purchased and received one gift.   We had fun with Caitlin's Santa hat and a few of the guys volunteered to wear it.  (Sparkly crown and all!)

I drew Heather's name and I gave her a framed school picture of me!  I don't think she knew what to say after she opened it.  She just looked at me and said, "Thank You!"  I couldn't keep a straight face and was literally crying from laughing so hard, so she soon figured something was up.We all laughed and laughed and laughed.......  Truthfully though, the frame is really just part of her present.  I am also going to take their family pictures for them and I'll purchase the print for the frame as well. 

Later on that evening we dished out dessert and the kids came into the kitchen one by one to select their bowl.  Earlier that week Carter was whining about the fact that he has yet to get the bowl with the almond and I had my typical "life's not fair" response.  Imagine my surprise when Carter (who picked his bowl second to last) had the almond!  He got an extra present; a stocking with a few little treats and five dollars cash!  He was beyond excited!  The rest of the kids got an m&m candy cane too, just for safe measure.

And of course the evening would not be complete without a cousin picture! 

So that pretty much gets the ball rolling toward Christmas.....  Next up..... Gingerbread houses and Christmas Programs!

Christmas with the Cousins- Danish Style

We celebrated Christmas with the Cousins on the 23rd because Christmas Eve can be rather hectic.  The kids had a great time.  We had a traditional Danish dinner- frikadeller, potatoes, gravy, veggies, crescent rolls and "baby rats." They are a danish dish that are actually known better as boneless birds, but once my grandpa served them to a few missionaries and teased them about being baby rats (because they are rolled up and kind of look like a rat or birds body).  Anyways, my grandpa tells a great story about how worried his guests looked and he still laughs to this day when he shares the story.    The same missionaries would return on a regular basis for "baby rats" and well, the name just stuck and that is what we have always called them.  The name is not very appetizing, but they are delicious!  The recipe for the link says to simmer them for about 2-3 hours but we always use a pressure cooker and cook them at pressure for twenty minutes.  (we also grate the onion)  So the kids ate dinner and then we had dessert.  Traditional Rice pudding with Strawberry sauce. (recipe is for cherry sauce, but we always had strawberry)  Traditionally one whole almond is placed in the pudding and who ever finds it is suppose to have good luck for the next year and usually receives an extra gift.  The kids love looking for the almond and most of them enjoy the pudding as well.  I love it!

The kids were frantically eating their dessert, hoping to find the almond. Chris found his first, but it turned out they all had an almond. Not usually the case, but they were excited about it.  Below is Chris holding the almond and Nadya showing off the prizes.  Smencils and candy cane M&M's. (Thanks for supplying the gifts Heather!)  I decided they would all get an almond because I remember my Grandpa doing the same thing when I was a kid and how surprised we all were! We received m&m candy canes too!

All The Cousins With Their Prizes-

Next we exchanged gifts.  We draw names so we each get one gift and give one gift.  It works out well.

 We had a great night!  One to be remembered!  I love, love making these kinds of memories!

Christmas with The Cousins- Danish Style 2010

Christmas with the Cousins 2009 post here

We had our traditional Danish Christmas at my house on the 19th of December.

Dinner was great!  Details of the food and recipes in the 2009 post.

Nadya found the almond and received the additional gift

 and a years worth of good luck!

She was just a little bit excited. 
Can you tell???

She is hiding the five dollars with her death grip.

We Exchanged Gifts-

And for the first time I can remember, the kids played mostly downstairs the entire time and played for the longest time.  The adults were able to converse upstairs and it was so nice!  The kids were just exhausted by the time everyone left because they played so hard! 

I am not pictured (because I am always behind the camera) but I received a book from Kris that was one of my late Grandpa's favorites.  It's called A Night of Watching by Elliott Arnold and it's about the Danish Resistance and how the Danes prevented the Germans from taking many of the Jews.  My Grandfather served in the resistance forces and spoke often of his Jewish Friends but never with out  tears.   The Danes saw their friends as  fellow Danes, not Jews. The book is no longer in print, but you can find used copies.  It was a very sweet gift and I look forward to reading it.  Doug is currently reading it and he is enjoying it.  Thank you Kris for such a special gift.  I will always treasure it.

Christmas Traditions

I am going to attempt to get my blog caught up over the next few days.  I thought about one long post, but I enjoyed Jessica's blog and her attempt at serving it up one piece in a time.  So I'll follow in her foot steps.

The weather has been seasonably warm so it just didn't seem like Christmas around here.  We had all of our decorations out and what not, but with out snow it just didn't feel very festive. Snow or no snow though, we carried on with our Christmas traditions.  First up- Christmas Utah!  About five years ago while driving home I stumpled upon this house while driving home from the grocery store.  I could just see part of the lights from the grocery store but  I could tell it was worth my time navigating the backstreets to find.  It was an amazing sight!  The Christmas lights are set to music, reindeer fly, Santa's waves in the window, the trees talk and tell jokes, bubble machines make bubbles and there are thousands of lights!  All you do is find a parking spot, tune your radio and sit back and enjoy.  We've been going every year since we found it.  Usually several times considering it's less than two miles away.   Sadly, this was going to be their last year.  So, I did take a little video to remember it. The girls at their age could take it or leave it, but the boys loved it!  We will be missing this tradition that's for sure!  

Growing up we always had Christmas Eve with the Hansen side of our family.  We celebrated it Danish style- Danish food, Ris ala mande (Rice Pudding), exchange gifts and the kids spend quality cousin time together!  Both my grandparents have passed on, but that doesn't stop me from carrying on this tradition. I host it every year. I have to admit, I have no idea how my grandma did it for 20+ cousins and 8 adults!!!  I am always so tired when it's all said and done, but greatful to have the oppurtunity for us all to get together.