Welcome to My Danish Christmas Advent Calendar!  Join me every day in opening a new door.  Once again, 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!

16 DECEMBER

I have a few Christmas ‘outing’ traditions.  One is taking in a julestueor two, and another is listening to some live jazz – with our favourite Mads Mathias.  We’ve seen him in lots of small venues (see the photo below from a couple of years ago) but this year we’re going to see him perform at Koncerthusetwith DR’s Big Band orchestra…should be a fun night!  🙂

And we always (always) make a trip to Tivoli.  We’ve got membership cards and visit the park and gardens all year round (Easter, the whole of summer, Halloween) but, personally, I love seeing all the lights and decorations in December.  Hyggeligt!

We went in late yesterday afternoon (about 4.45pm) and, as luck would have it, it was actually very quiet and we didn’t have to queue for any of the rollercoasters.  Lookie here – space to move around! 🙂

We did the usual rides like the Chair’o’planes, the old Rollercoaster, the Odin Express and the Demon.  But didn’t bother with the Star Flyer because it’s really cold and windy when you get so high up! 😉 (That would be 80m or 260ft!)

Love all the giant nutcrackers on top of the concert building!

The swans were out in force in front of Nimb, but they had to make do with articifial snow and ice.  Current temperature here is a mild (for the time of year…) 4c or 39f.

And, really, what could be more romantic than a trip on a slow boat to…Copenhagen? 😉  My DD12 wondered how long it took for the staff to attach all the lights to that tree.  Whilst I (the grown up/Canny Scot) was wondering just how much it would cost to run in electricity! 😛

If you’re looking for a nice bite to eat, then head for Grøften, which is very traditional and has been serving food to the Danes – and lots of famous visitors – since 1874.  Here’s my Dear Dad from Scotland, about to tuck into a stjerneskud (fried plaice topped with prawns and caviar) and a julebryg last year….

You can even do a bit of Christmas shopping at Tivoli’s Christmas market.  We thought these were rather quaint…hard-boiled toffees with different Danish motifs (Dannebrog, H.C.Anderson, the Daisy, the Swan).  Now to get them wrapped, labelled and put under the tree.  [Oh, wait a minute, we haven’t brought the tree into the house yet!]

Eight sleeps to go – need to and check my lists (twice).  Don’t forget to check back here tomorrow when we open the next door!

Diane