Christmas at the Cranks

In Denmark we celebrate Christmas on the 24th, on Christmas Eve and they have duck, pork loin with crackling, goose or turkey. We count down from Dec. 1st until the 24th. The 24th and the following two days are all national holidays. Not everything is closed though. It used to be that way but money talks and some people don't mind working at Christmas.

Our family has a very specific tradition when it comes to all things Christmas. The first weekend before December 1st my mother will decorate the house. The trees arrive and are decorated. We used to have a tree in the hall with lights and everything - the kids tree. My brother and I were in charge of decorating that one. The adults tree was decorated with lights and placed outside until December 23rd. My brothers also made Christmas hearts in colourful paper and these were collected and hung on a silver string over the massive windows in the living room. Everything had its place. The embroided advent calendar my mother made when she was expecting my oldest brother was hung by the fireplace. It has Disney characters on it.

On the advent calendar my mother hung 24 individual bags for my brother and I. The ones for Sundays were larger than the rest but the 24th was the biggest. We would look at those from day 1 until Christmas but we never touched them until the day. My mother always said she'd be able to tell if we did and would take the calendar away. In each bag was a little something, a tiny plastic toy or some kind of candy. It was such a lovely tradition.

The 23rd was special. My dad would arrive home late from work because he had to close down the bank branch and they were open late. So my mother would make a sort of rice porridge for dinner and we'd have sweet light Christmas beer for it. On top of the porrige we'd put a small lump of butter and put sugar and cinnamon on it too. In it would also be an almond and the one who got the almond got a small present. It could be anything from a bit of chocolate or a game that we'd play after dinner.

Before us kids went to bed, we put out rice porridge and Christmas beer for Santa (Julemanden in Danish). Then after we've gone off to bed my parents would decorate the adults tree with all these gorgeous Christmas decorations from my mothers mother and her mothers. We weren't allowed to see it until the morning of the 24th. After they were done they'd have smoked salmon before going to bed.

On the morning of the 24th I remember waking up before 9 and running into the living room to see the tree. Then getting the last bag of the advent calendar and check the fireplace to see if Santa had left something for me. Of course he had, and he'd also eaten a bit of the stale porridge. Bless. After checking the presents I would turn on the TV and watch a Christmas show called "While we wait" (Imens vi venter) which consisted of small Christmas cartoons and studio stuff with Christmas stuff galore.

Then my parents would get up and we'd sit down for breakfast until us kids were told to go tidy up our rooms. Then my mother would start preparing dinner as my father would start hoovering and cleaning the guest bathroom. After we were done with our chores, I'd sit down and watch the Christmas show again and my father would be sent out to get more cream. Why we never had cream on Christmas Eve I'll never know. Maybe my mother just wanted him out of the house so she could sneak a glass of wine.

At 4pm on the dot my drunken aunt would arrive and that was the time as the Disney Christmas show would start. We'd all (excluding my mother who was now having a meltdown in the kitchen) sit down and watch the Disney show. When that was done we (all except my drunken aunt and my brother) would rush off to church but would always end up standing up in the back of the packed church. At 6pm we'd sneak out and go finish preparing dinner.

At 7pm on the dot, dinner would be on the table. Dinner was always pork loin with crackling, roasted duck, red cabbage, potatoes, sauce, potatoes coated in caramel and crisps. For dessert we'd have rice porridge but this time with whipped cream and chopped almonds in it. There would also be one whole almond in it and the one who gets it wins a present. The present was always brought by my drunken aunt.

After dinner we would lay all the presents under the tree and leave the room. My mother would then light the candles on the tree. Then we'd all go back into the living room and oooh and aaah at how pretty it was. The humiliating part was next, and we would walk around the tree singing Christmas carols.

Five minutes later everyone was sick and tired of that and we would sit down and one of us would find presents for the other and we'd open them. After the presents were opened and everyone had thanked each other we would have coffee (some of them irish), hot chocolate, chocolates and biscuits. Then my aunt would leave and we'd all go to sleep.

On the 25th we had the family over for lunch and the same on the 26th. So much food and drinks. The kids playing with their presents or out in the snow in the garden.

This year is very different. As I type this my parents are on their way over to my place to celebrate Christmas. The first time in more than 40 years where my mother hasn't hosted. I have been baking, cleaning and shopping like a maniac and I've also been decorating for Christmas. It's been very busy at Sayhey and the next few days I probably won't be around so much.

All the traditions are out, and I'm starting new ones. I have been scaring my mother by telling her this is going to be a theme Christmas. Christmas under the palmes. Lots of coconut, seafood, colourful twinkle lights and Malibu rum. Still she hasn't cancelled. Bless. Then again she'll just have more ammunition to use against me some other time. Or this time.

Merry Christmas!