gollygoshgumgoonz: Last weeks in Denmark

We have now booked our flights home. We are travelling separately as I will leave a bit earlier and visit David in Australia. Barry will remain behind to finish the semester and do his final exam, then he will fly direct to NZ. We both land within an hour in Wellington on the 26^th!

Yah! It will be so good to see everyone again.

However, in the meantime, we are still here in Horsens and the days are getting very short. At the moment it doesn’t get light until almost 9am and its pitch black by 4pm. We had our first snowfall this week. Very exciting! Everything turned white but since then we’ve had rain and it’s all gone.

Daily temperatures are around -2 to 2 so we put on our puffer jackets, hats, scarfs, gloves, and boots before setting foot outside. Inside however, it’s very warm and cosy – what the Dane’s call ‘hyggeligt’ and I am loving the Christmas festive atmosphere that is absolutely everywhere. People have lit up their homes, the streets have Christmas lights, there are Christmas trees everywhere and I am learning some of the Danish traditions such as:

Many have their trees literally outside on their porch. The tradition is to bring these in on the 24^th and decorate them. They also have their main Christmas celebration on that evening and give presents after dinner. Personally I think it’s better the way we do it back home (Christmas on the 25th and presents in the morning) but it’s what one is used to I suppose.

The local supermarkets all have rows of stockings up near the checkout areas that have children’s names on them. I thought this might be some kind of charity but it seems any kid can put a stoking up, then every Friday they go in to find a wee treat inside!

Other things we notice about winter in Denmark are:

The cats have disappeared. We see people still walking their shivering dogs, most of them in a winter coat, but all the cats are obviously sitting on the heaters inside.
The spiders have all gone. Phew.
We have ceased to recognise people on the street now, and instead nod and say hi to various Eskimo shapes as we pass by.
Eskimo shapes talking loudly to themselves are not going mad but are people actually on their phones, however the phone and hands are in pockets while people talk to microphones on their headsets or via Bluetooth.
Everything is spiced or has a Christmas (‘Jul’) bent on it. You can get Christmas tea, Christmas cola, Christmas spiced wine (Gløgg) with almond splinters and raisins, ‘æbleskiver’s (apple slices) which are more like bubble pancakes eaten with jam.
There are Christmas markets everywhere – little sheds selling Christmas themed food or crafts such as the red-and-white Danish Christmas hearts (Julehjerte).
Marshmellow is called ‘skum’ Ha ha.
(nothing to do with Christmas but ‘professionals’ translate as ‘Fagfolk’ hahaha.

So anyway, we are off to Ireland on Saturday to see Barry’s Dad but also to see the Island as we are hiring a car and flying in to Dublin. Barry’s Dad lives in Northern Island.

So until then I hope you are all well and enjoying the Christmas festivities.

God Jul!