A Danish New Year’s (Denmark Part 2)

Maya and Johan live with their two boys (7 and 2) in a sweet little house in the small rural village of Ommestrup in Djursland. I had heard a bit about the house and the dramas faced after they purchased it. After discovering mould they had to gut the whole place and re-do it all! It was great to see them and the house looking so good now. We had some really lovely, relaxing, ‘hyggelig’ days here, including our 6th wedding anniversary.

The 2 year old was a real charmer often flashing his winning smile and saying hi in the cutest of ways. Mr 7 was an active boy who liked scooting around -indoors on something he got for Christmas and outdoors on his scooter. Antony joined him outside scooting. The family also included two lovely cats, one of whom was unfortunately sick and as it turned out living his last days when we were there.

On the 29th December we went to Gammel Estrup Manor – first built as a fort with moat in 1490 and later rebuilt and modernised in the late 1500s. Since 1930 it has been owned by a trust and run as a museum.

We went on a tour of the Manor which was really interesting as the guide explained all sorts of things. The museum is laid out showing the development of Danish nobility through the ages with rooms furnished as they might have been in the different centuries. I won’t recount all the history here but I do remember her talking about the wigs noble men used to wear and the lack of baths… combine this with hot weather, stuffy clothes and sweat and you have a head of lice and other goodies. Ew. Not quite the pretty picture as appear in the many paintings on the walls!

There were a lot of interesting rooms in the manor and quite a bit of information provided on each floor (also in English) so it was really worth the visit. After the tour we visited the kitchen where staff had made bread buns and cake. We bought some to try and had this in another room with a hot chocolate. It was very hyggelig.

Before we left Antony and I had a quick look around the gardens and grounds before we did some jumping pictures then all piled in the car and headed home.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve here which was a mix of some typical Danish traditions but with a very relaxed vibe. Often Danes dress up in their very nice clothes and sit at a table that is very formally set for New Year’s Eve. There will be candles and maybe crackers and other decorations. Some people spend a lot of time making a really flash 3 course meal to share with their friends. We couldn’t be bothered with that so just made a big portion of an African Bean Stew the night before and a meat dish in the slow cooker… and had that for our New Years meal. We didn’t bother dressing up either… but a few decorations were found and hung up.

We made and bought some desserts for the occasion. I made ambrosia in the afternoon which I haven’t eaten in years (given my usual no -dairy diet). It rested in the fridge while we went on a little walk to get some fresh air and say hello and happy new year to a few neighbours.

Across Denmark New Years Eve officially begins at 6pm when the Queen appears on TV to deliver her New Year’s speech. Everyone watches this (or listens to it on the national radio). We did too – even Antony who of course didn’t understand a word. It was interesting to hear her talk about climate change, loneliness, stamping out antisemitism and intolerance and the 100 year anniversary of southern Jutland being part of Denmark again. We ate chips and dips during this then had our meal a bit later.

Antony fell asleep on the couch for a bit after the main course. The men and boys went outside to set off some fireworks they’d bought and we played a game of Settlers of Catan after the little one was put to bed.

Around 11 something we played a game I think we’ll introduce at our place if we hold New Years there again. It consisted of questions about the year gone by (e.g. What was your proudest achievement?, What day would you like to re-live?) and then questions about the year ahead (e.g. What do you want to spend less time on? What bad habits do you not want to take into the next year?). It was great to reflect about your own life/ year/ goals etc. and really interesting to hear about others. I have made a list of the questions, translated them into English and intend creating this game somehow when we are home. For Danes interested in getting hold of this game it is called Vertellis.

Not long before midnight it seems all of Denmark gathers around the TV to watch a little black and white show from 1963, called ‘The 90th birthday’. I was fading at this point and have seen it several times before (they play it every New Years Eve!) so I tidied up a bit in the kitchen to keep myself awake. Antony watched it though along with our hosts. Then it was time to fill our glasses and stand up on the sofa – ready to ‘jump’ into the new year.

Every year the TV then shows the bell tower of City Hall in Copenhagen as it chimes midnight. When it did we jumped off the sofa, wished each other a happy new year with hugs and kisses then watched the impressive fireworks over Copenhagen on the TV. Next on TV is the girl’s choir who sing the same hymn they do every year after the fireworks – Være Velkommen Herrens År. We who knew the words sang along and then it was time to get wrapped up and head outdoors.

Johan is a musician so he took his saxophone out and started playing as we walked around the village streets. It was really nice to watch all the fireworks and enjoy lovely music at the same time. It was a nice clear cool starry night – just perfect. A few people joined us on the walk – some with percussion instruments – as we went around wishing people a happy new year and enjoying the night. We couldn’t get over how many fireworks there were considering we were in a really small village.

It was a lovely New Years Eve and a cosy, relaxing time in Jutland with Maya and Johan. Next up it was off to Odense – my home of 6+ years.