Sunday, December 25, 2005

Jule Aften (Christmas Evening) and First Christmas Day

Saturday, Dec. 24 (Jule Aftens Dag/Christmas Evening Day), Copenhagen (Part II)

The cemetaries were full of people. It is always nice seeing so many people remembering those who are gone. When we arrived at Arne's grave, there was a small ceramic angel and a candle there. I'm sure they were left by Annette, our neighbor who has always appreciated and remembered Arne. I'll call her after Christmas and thank her for being so kind. I placed the candle inside my wreath and the angel on the edge of the wreath. It looked very nice.

I bought a calling card to use while I am here. I called a couple of people yesterday, but the timing wasn't good for finding most people at home. I'll call more people after Christmas is over.

Grethe made a wonderful traditional Danish Christmas dinner for us.æ We enjoyed the meal and then opened gifts while still at the table. She gave me a ticket for an opera at the new opera house, a gift certificate for a bookstore, and some Lubeck marzipan. I gave her some sandalwood soap, an Indian wrap-around fabric, a bag of cashew nuts, and a 2006 leather-bound journal.

My sister Sue called us in the evening. She told us about her Christmas plans in Texas, and we told her about our evening. Grethe received some other calls, but essentially we just had a nice, quiet evening together after dinner.

Sunday, Dec. 25 (First Christmas Day), Copenhagen (Part I)

Grethe and I were up by 8:00. We had a nice, quiet breakfast at her coffee table. She left to go to Hillerød to visit an aunt in the hospital. I made soup using the bones and leftover meat from our duck. We'll add some potatoes and leeks to the soup and serve it as a first course when we have guests on Tuesday night.

I have spent much of the morning remembering how Arne and I always spent our Christmas mornings. I miss them. He made a very special breakfast with treats we normally didn't eat. And we opened gifts we had bought for each other, alternating turns until the 10-20 gifts each had all been opened. Christmas with him was always as special as it was when I was a child.

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