gratitude at christmas time

Christmas, the sweet Christmas season with Christmas “hygge,” Christmas baking and Christmas shopping gifts for all those whom we love and hold dear.

All just like last year, but maybe you can think back to a Christmas that was different, as something special, a Christmas miracle.

Try to think back to a Christmas, maybe from your childhood or later that changed something in your life. Then, write down your story, so you can read it to your children and grandchildren.

Christmas evening - christmas morning

Before I tell my Christmas story, you might wonder, as I until recently, why we here up north, the Nordic countries celebrate Christmas on December 24th in the evening and not December 25th in the morning, like the rest of the world. Jesus was born on December 25th, and it is his birthday that we celebrate. Back to the time when Christianity came to Denmark and the Nordic countries, there were no clocks and time like today. The beginning of the new day was counted from dark. As you know, it gets dark early in winter in the northern hemisphere. Here in Denmark, it gets dark around 4pm and further north already at 3pm in Oslo and Stockholm. Therefore, according to the era of the time, Christmas is celebrated on December 24th after dark, which is December 25th. Jesus' birthday.

My Christmas story - a Christmas miracle

 Here, is my Christmas story, a Christmas miracle that I think back on with gratitude.

It is December 1998 and Christmas is approaching. After my divorce, there was not much money for Christmas food and Christmas presents for my children, so I had to tell them that there were probably not that many packages this year, but there were gifts from grandma and grandpa from Denmark. The children had to share their Christmas holidays, first with their father and then with me from Christmas Day until the start of school.

One afternoon I was sitting on the floor leaning against the couch and talking on the phone with my friend when suddenly there was a knock on the door. I was not expecting anyone, so I told my friend to wait on the phone while I opened the door.

Outside the door stood a police officer and a young man. The police officer asked for my name, I was surprised and nervous at the same time, as I was still in a lengthy divorce process. The officer said they had something for me in the car and went to get it. I went back to the phone and told my friend that it was the police and that I would call her back.

The police officer and the young man came back each with a box of Christmas food, a voucher to buy extra Christmas food, and a bag of gifts for the children. I told the them, that I was surprised and anxious when I opened the door. The police officer said, that he could see it on my face, and that this was one of the best things being a police officer, at this time a year, being able to serve others with a Christmas basket. When they had left, I called back my friend. She told me that she had heard when I opened the door, and that she knew that the police were collecting Christmas food. I did not know how it had happened, that I was selected to receive Christmas food and gifts, I had not applied myself, as I did not know about it.

A few days later, the phone rang and a lady from a private women's group asked if she could come by, because she had something for me. Later in the day, she brought a box of Christmas food and treats. I gave her a Christmas “nisse” that I had drawn and cut out, as in Denmark, out of gratitude. I was so grateful that I now had Christmas food and gifts to surprise the children with, when they come on Christmas Day.

It was now only a few days until Christmas, the children's Christmas holidays had begun with their father, and I was looking forward to seeing them on Christmas Day.

The phone rang again, this time it was a woman from the support group that I went to. She asked if she could come by, she wanted to talk to me. She arrived a little later, and said that she would like to sponsor me and my children with a Christmas present, so she wanted to hear what we wanted. I knew my son wanted Lego bricks, he loved to build with Lego. My daughter wanted a Barbie music cassette with a microphone so she could sing along to the songs herself. I wanted something for personal well-being. She came back a few days later with the gifts and asked if there was anything special, I wanted. I said, a Christmas tree. It was the day before Christmas so the Christmas trees were sold out, but she found a place outside the city where I could pick up a tree. I got the tree in the car and set up in the living room. I did not have much Christmas decorations, but braided some stars, strips that my mother had sent and found some ribbon, tied large bows that adorned the tree and tied a golden ribbon around the top of the tree. Now everything was ready for the arrival of the children on Christmas Day.

The children came on Christmas Day in the afternoon, and they were incredibly surprised to see a Christmas tree and not least the presents under the tree. They said they did not have a Christmas tree with their dad this year, so the joy was all the greater.

We had a wonderful time all afternoon unwrapping gifts and the children were especially happy and grateful for the Lego and Barbie music cassette. The sun was shining on a lovely California Christmas Day, which for me stands for the most memorable Christmas miracle.

Time for Christmas baking

I just had time to bake my December cookies yesterday in between packing for my trip away from the Danish winter, cold and gray weather, to California where it is a little warmer and sunny, most of all Christmas “hygge” with my children.

December cookies

90 g butter

1 egg

175 cane sugar

175 g flour – gluten free option

50 g almond

1/2 lemon – zest and juice

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Coconut flour – for snow sprinkles

Beat eggs, sugar and butter. Add lemon zest and juice. Blend the almonds into flour and pour flour, almond flour and baking powder into the bowl and stir together. Shape small balls and put them on a baking sheet with baking paper and sprinkle with coconut flour. Bake 10-12 minutes at 175/350 degrees.

Merry Christmas

In Gratitude and Happiness

Merethe Shenon