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In Denmark we celebrate Christmas almost the same way as
you. We have something called advent. It is a tradition that is more than
300 years old. It begins four Sundays before Christmas. We light a candle
each Sunday before Christmas Eve. They say that it is to count down the
days until Christmas. Each candle stands for something. The first candle -
joy, the second - hope, the third - faith, and the fourth - peace. Each
Sunday, the children get one present each. The 13th of December is Santa
Lusia Day, as you may remember Tina Larson telling you last year. The 23rd
is what we call "Little Christmas Eve." On this day, some people
celebrate Christmas.
On the morning of the 24th, we can open one present. Later
in the afternoon, the family comes. Then about 4:00 P.M., we start eating
dinner. The first course is different from year to year, but the main
course is always roast pork. For dessert, we have Rice ala Mande that is
served in a big bowl located in the center of the table. Rice ala Mande is
a game where you have to find the whole almond. If you find it, you have
to hide it until the bowl is empty. Then you can tell that you have it and
you then get a present.
After we finish eating, we dance around the Christmas
Tree and sing Christmas carols. One of my favorite songs is "Dejlig
er Jorden", or Lovely is the Earth. We sing about ten songs, then the
oldest member of the family picks out a present from under the tree and
reads the name of whom its for. Then the person it is for unwraps it and
chooses another present (We unwrap all presents Christmas Eve.)
In Denmark we also have Santa Claus, but we call him
"Jule Mander", but otherwise, he is the same. From the 1st of
December through the 24th, we can watch Christmas Calendar, a television
series that is different from year to year.
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