Welcome to My Danish Christmas Advent
Calendar! Join me every day in opening a new door. I’ve got
a host of goodies to share with you – traditional Danish Christmas recipes,
traditions, songs, games, decorations, crafts and landscapes… So sit back,
relax and enjoy!
11 DECEMBER
Every year I’m invited by a Danish friend to a klippe
klistre afternoon. Klippe klistre means ‘cut and paste’. Not in
the ‘Control V/Control C computer’ sense. I mean the old-fashioned way…with
scissors and glue! The Danes love to get together at Christmas time
and make decorations. If you have kids, you’ve no doubt already been at nursery
or school one of the first mornings in December, eating breakfast together.
Coffee in one hand, glue in the other…
Breakfast at school
Though the problem for me is that I’m usually too busy chatting and enjoying
the food…
Never make decorations on an empty stomach!
…to actually get any decent decorations made and finished!
Klippe klistre morning at the local library
So I usually stick to making guirlander – garlands. You know the ones?
No? Well, you can see one I started at the bottom of the next photo. You take
strips of shiny paper, glue the ends together to make a circle. Add another
strip of paper to the first circle, glue together. And keep going until you
loose the will to live… 
Klippe kliste = lots of glue and paper!
But, hey, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t end up with perfect
decorations. After all, the real reason to klippe klistre is to get
together with friends or family in order to hygge. Have a good,
cosy time at a time of the year when it’s very dark and cold.
My DS12 (dear son, 12) working on a decoration of his
own invention
Have you klippe klistret today? Remember to put the lid back on the
glue stick when you’re finished! And don’t forget to check back here tomorrow
when we open the next door!
Diane 