A Christmas memory

By Lisa Nielsen

One of my favorite memories from Chistmastime is the celebration of Little Christmas Eve (Lille Jul Afen), the Danish holiday on December 23 in which people anticipate Christmas through intentional calm time at home. In years past, I hosted small get-togethers on this day for a handful of friends in which we ate traditional Juletide food that I had prepared: rice pudding (risekrem), Danish donut holes (aebleskrivers), and apple cake (aeblekage). These special desserts were enjoyed while my friends and I chatted about the year and rejoiced that Christmas was coming soon. It was a time for resting after getting through the long fall season and the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations. Our time together had no set agenda, nor any gift exchanges or other required preparation for the guests – they came, ate, and connected with others. Some years we played board games, or even traditional Danish yard games (if no snow), and other years we let out our exhaustion through quiet calmness. The simplicity of the event and the joy I experienced in preparing and hosting the event embodied hygge – coziness with peaceful happiness in a small way. Through appreciation of the small comforts and togetherness I felt a deep sense of peace that prepared my heart for honoring Christ’s birth. 

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