Lille Jule Aften

 Dear Nieces & Nephews and families, 

Here we are on Lille Jule Aften.  

A few random thoughts for you on this special day of Christmas.  

The Danes celebrate many days of Christmas, starting with Lille Jule Aften, then Jule Aften was the most important, Christmas Day but also the 26th, which is called Second Christmas Day.  Christmas Day and second Christmas Day are often spent traveling to extended family like Grandparents, whereas Christmas Eve is usually just for immediate family, (maybe an old aunt would be included). 

Dad/Valdemar made Lille Jule Aften a day of celebration and connection.  He had a long list of friends and family that he would call to greet and visit.  He & Ev would share a few celebratory libations and then would enjoy the reliving of the many memories that were part of making those connections to friends and family.

Uncle Chris told me of this little verse that was sung when he was a boy. 

Lille Jule aften,

Skal jeg synge for din der

Lille Jule aften

Er kagan aldrig tør.

roughly translated by Google...

On Little Christmas Eve I will sing for you

On Litte Christmas Eve the cake will not be dry.

Lille Jule Aften was a busy day, the last minute baking was done (no dry cake),  Uncle said that freshly baked sweets were then delivered to his aunts and uncles on this day, along with this little song.  Along with the last minute baking, the finishing touches on the house and probably some last minute wrapping of gifts made for a busy & festive day.

In the olden days, the wrap was often brown paper and grocery string.   The Christmas tree at the home of my grandparents, Ansgar and Frederikke, was kept from the sight of their children until Christmas Eve.  A sheet was hung over the living room doors and only the adults were allowed in, to decorate and prepare.  Real candles, danish woven baskets and cutout angels were hung, along with popcorn strings and maybe some tinsel. Always a star on the top of the tree.  A great unveiling would be part of the Christmas Eve celebration, the tree, always in the center of the room to allow for dancing around, all the candles lit, lights down low; what a sight it must have been.  A thrill for children and grown ups as well. Dad said that Frederikke always left the tree up until Epiphany, 12 days after Christmas.

But back to Lille Jule Aften...All of nature was glorified at Christmas in Denmark, not just birds, but pets, livestock and the wild creatures as well.  Extra portions of feed is given, maybe with a toast like "Eat well, keep well".  Even a bowl of porridge might be left out in the barn for the Nisse.  While Nisse are often blamed for any mischief or trouble throughout the year, the little creatures are still beloved, their pointy red hats adopted by many at Christmas. Even the trolls seem to have copied the Nisse's fashionable headwear.

So, I wish you Gladelig Lille Jule Aften  (Happy Little Christmas Eve).  

Please, take time to add an extra helping to the dog's dish, some fresh cream for the cats, extra feed to the chickens and birds, corn for the rabbits & deer, and maybe a dish of porridge for the Nisse, it pays to be, and stay, on the good side of the Nisse for the coming year.  

Eat well, keep well.

With Love, 

Aunt Wanda

A letter sent this morning to my nieces and nephews.  

I love my Danish roots and hope that they will also enjoy some of the customs of the holidays.