General News about Frederik, Mary and Family 11: January - August 2013

[GracieGiraffe]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thanks Sun Lion & Windsorgirl

That gave us a very good glimpse into how M&F celebrated Christmas. And they did it the traditional Danish way, which differs from Mary - and Frederik's childhoods.

Frederik did not celebrate Christmas in a traditional Danish way as a child? That does seem odd to me. Can you elaborate for us?

Originally Posted by AnnaNotherThing

Well, to be fair, summer is the season associated with Christmas in Australia...maybe Mary subconsciously sees summery images as being Christmassy...so myself as an Australian do not see anything out of place with a family Christmas/New Years card having a poolside/beachy image...it makes sense to us down under...and maybe there are two versions of their Christmas card?...a summery one for their Aussie friends and a Verbier one for their Northern Hemisphere venner

That's a good point and I think you are right. Mary will always see Christmas as a summer holiday, as us northerners will always see it in winter no matter where we move and how long we live there.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by GracieGiraffe

Frederik did not celebrate Christmas in a traditional Danish way as a child? That does seem odd to me. Can you elaborate for us?

Absolutely.

The DRF Christmas is very different from a typical Danish Christmas.
The menu is different and they don't dance around the Christmas tree.

A typical Danish Christmas, very brief:
The family arrive in the afternoon. Some, but not all attend service in the local church at 16.00 (that's the most common). Dinner is served somewhere between 17.00-19.00.
The menu is soup, roast pork with medister and glaced potatoes, though many prefer duck instead.
Risalmande for dessert, with an almond. Whoeever gets the almond win a prize.
When the table is cleard the Christmas tree is placed in the middle of the floor and people dance, or rather trot, around the tree while singing popular Christmas psalms. Somewhere between five and ten psalms - good for the digestion!
The presents are brought out and the children read out who the presents are for and hand all the presents out. Then you take turn unpacking the presents, usually the youngest first ending with the oldest, so that everyone can see who gets what from whom.
That ends around 21.00 or so. Then coffee with sweets, fruits, nuts and cookies are served and the adults chat and sometimes have a merry time playing with the kid's toys - I mean, help the kids in putting their toys together and test it....
The whole show ends around 23.00-24.00.

In the DRF they also attend Christmas service before returning for dinner, starting with rice porridge. I can't remember the main course, but that is atypical too. The dessert is an English cake. - No almond, no prize.
Then they sit in the living room singing psalms while watching and admiring the decorated tree in the corner, before they unpack their presents.
- To me it seems pretty boring and not at all child friendly.

As Nwinther pointed out a typical Danish Christmas has very little to do with the Christian faith and Jesus but much more to do with the ancient pagan mid-winter celebration.

Then there is a Christmas lunch on either the first or second day of Christmas, sometime both days. Usually with the family. In my family it has for many years been tradition to spend Christmas Eve with Mrs. Muhler's family and the second day of Christmas (the 26th) with my family.

A typical Danish Christmas is basically about gaining five kilos.

[GracieGiraffe]

Thanks for the response!

I think in most modern countries, Christmas is hardly about the birth of Christ anymore, and more about pagan mid-winter solstice fun - at least in our Northern Hemisphere. In Australia it appears akin to what would be a Fourth of July celebration here in the U.S.

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

The DRF Christmas is very different from a typical Danish Christmas.
The menu is different and they don't dance around the Christmas tree.

We didn´t dance around the Christmas tree either when I was child

In my childhood this is how Christmas Eve went:
I slept until noon...
My Father held services in his three churches (yes, that included "Et barn er født" three times ).
In between his three services he came home to take of the two ducks in the oven.
My Mother made the dessert, risalamande, and my brother polished the silverware.
Finally I got up around noon, took a bath and off I went to my services (two times of singing "Et barn er født" ) in the church, where I was singer at that time.
To the last service in my Father´s church the rest of the family came along.
After the services we gathered in the præstegård (what´s the english word?). Took a little glass with my sis-in-law´s parents. Then we departed, with my brother and sis-in-law changing between the families every other year.

Then we ate the ducks, the risalamande.

I would lit the christmas tree and when I started playing this tune my parents would open the doors and everyone would walk in and sit on the couch, armchair - well, my little nephew would lie on his tummy on the floor looking at the christmas tree.


After that we would sing a few christmas songs, no psalms (vetoed by my Father and I) and then we would hand out the presents in no particular order, but one at a time.

Around 23:00 all started to go to bed and I would find myself in front of the telly, sometimes together with my Mother, to watch the Midnight Mass from the Vatican

Then on Christmas Day (the 25th) my Father and I had more services, so no organized family gathering here.
But on the second Christmas Day (the 26th) we had Christmas Lunch, again after my Father and I had had our services...
And then finally we could get a time to relax before New Year - unless there was/is a Sunday between Christmas and New Year

[bertie5252003]

GracieGiraffe am not sure were you get you info about Australian Christmas but I can say that in no way does it even slightly appear as 04/07... it is celebrated in different ways but it is still a traditional Christmas with all the thrills the festive period brings.... trees lights Santa but the 4th July and that hoopla is not the case .... we do go all out on 26/01 however.

[Lady Rosie]

Thank you all for sharing your Christmas traditions.

Well in Australia it doesn't seem to be like 4th July from my experience (in most homes that I have known). Christmas Eve is is usually spent running around doing last minute shopping and preparing food for the 25th.

I can only speak about this from a christian perspective. Christmas Eve there are children's family church services at about 18.00, later midnight masses for adults. Some families I know of Northern European descent will open presents on this night. Carrots for reindeer and beer or milk for Santa left overnight.

Christmas Day is when it all happens. Presents opened early (usually near breakfast time if you have excited youngsters) after Santa has been overnight. Then lunch prepared all morning. Some families attend a church service in the morning.

The craziness is that even if it is a hot day, the roast is still prepared- mainly because of the English/european descent of many. Newer style BBQs have a big space that allows a roast (turkey,chicken etc)to be cooked outside without heating the entire house as an oven does! Salads, roast veges on the side. As is seafood in many homes.

Then desert (pavlova, fruit cake, fruit salad etc), lying on the bed to digest food or a game of cricket outside. The Christmas Message of QE2 is usually played around dinner time.

Leftovers eaten for dinner! Sometimes it is off to the in-laws for another food fest!!

Boxing day (26th) is usually what you make it- nothing at all or visit to an in law not seen the day before.

[bertie5252003]

... Boxing Day has the the test match as the ovgerall pay off and the usual reason I use for not doing anything...

[Sun Lion]

Hi everyone - great reading about the different ways Christmas is celebrated.

Agree with the Aussie posters regarding Christmas here.

Boxing Day is big, with many activities to join in - saw early morning TV coverage this year -people crushing to get into the big Boxing Day sales at the shops, lining up early to get into the cricket and it's also the start of the big yacht race, the "Sydney to Hobart".

All the commercial vessels get booked out as people have meals on board and mill around the racing yachts with the water all choppy and boats going every which way, and then follow them out of the Heads of Sydney Harbour after the gun goes off. Very exciting and lively - did it a few years ago - one of Sydney's grand days. The rest of Australia can watch the action on the telly.

And as Amber mentioned in her article, the other big Boxing Day activity for many years has been the packing and tripping to the annual holiday shack or caravan somewhere near a beach.

Seafood is now big for Christmas, so a crushing visit to the Sydney Fish Market on Christmas Eve is now a regular Christmas tradition for some - and waking up on Bondi Beach if you're a British back-packer.

And always trifle amongst the Christmas desserts, at least in Tasmania - along-side the hot pudding and the pavlova - all in the same bowl.

Interesting re Jul/pagan traditions vs Christian in Denmark - always assumed Northern European traditions to be more religious than here in Oz, where for many it's not even mentioned, though we still use religious cards quite a bit.

Cheers, Sun Lion.

[Muhler]

Thanks for telling us about the Australian Christmas. It's always interesting to learn about other cultures and how things are done differently in other countries.

[GracieGiraffe]

Originally Posted by bertie5252003

GracieGiraffe am not sure were you get you info about Australian Christmas but I can say that in no way does it even slightly appear as 04/07... it is celebrated in different ways but it is still a traditional Christmas with all the thrills the festive period brings.... trees lights Santa but the 4th July and that hoopla is not the case .... we do go all out on 26/01 however.

I got my info from Australians, who say they celebrate with beach and bbq. I suppose other Australians celebrate traditionally.

[biboquinhas]

Another new car for Mary....
http://onthesidewalls.co.uk/wp-conte...an-530x397.jpg

very fashion by the way...has it should be of course, Mary doesn't take it for less...
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxmG0R_3b4.../s1600/Newscom-

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by biboquinhas

Another new car for Mary....
http://onthesidewalls.co.uk/wp-conte...an-530x397.jpg

very fashion by the way...has it should be of course, Mary doesn't take it for less...
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XxmG0R_3b4.../s1600/Newscom-

Sorry, not a new car They had it already before the twins was christened in April 2011

[marfre]

Thanks FasterB
I was just checking an article from 5 July 2011 that shows Mary & Frederik shopping for a carpert for the palace in the very same car.

Sometimes facts are not checked before posting.

[PrincessofEurope]

I wonder do the couple have any plans to go to Australia this year - a private visit most likely as they did an official visit last year

[Frelinghighness]

How interesting to read about the Danish Christmas. I love that they dance around the Christmas tree. Here in America it really depends on your ancestors. It is all a blend of your traditions. We had German grandparents so we opened gifts with them on Christmas Eve. Since they've passed on, we now just go to church on christmas eve, and open gifts on Christmas with a feast afterwards.

[GracieGiraffe]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

How interesting to read about the Danish Christmas. I love that they dance around the Christmas tree. Here in America it really depends on your ancestors. It is all a blend of your traditions. We had German grandparents so we opened gifts with them on Christmas Eve. Since they've passed on, we now just go to church on christmas eve, and open gifts on Christmas with a feast afterwards.

Yes, here in America is REALLY does depend on where your family was from. In our family, we always gravitated between years of Irish Christmas fruitcake and years of Italian treats (this year was strictly Italian). Some people descended from the U.K or Ireland still make the fruitcakes, and Thanksgiving weekend was always the time traditionally set aside for making them for Christmas.

The plum pudding was always very nice too. I'll never forget my shock the day my mother sent me to the butcher for the main ingredient! As Mary is of Scottish descent, her Australian Christmas could very well have been laced with Scottish traditions.

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Sun Lion

Hi windsorgirl - thanks for your help.

gerry - layout is different to printed newspaper - should also be able to be sourced at Amber Petty | in time to come - top story is still last week's column at the moment, by the look of it.

Cheers All, Sun Lion.

Thanks so much to you and Windsor Girl. The papers here in wintry Canada are full of reports of the heat and fires you are suffering 'down under'. Hope you are well and keeping cool.

[Sun Lion]

Originally Posted by gerry

Thanks so much to you and Windsor Girl. The papers here in wintry Canada are full of reports of the heat and fires you are suffering 'down under'. Hope you are well and keeping cool.

Hey gerry - yes, I think the worse of the heatwave and fires are now behind us for this summer.

South Australia, where I am for the holiday, is officially a Mediterranean climate - hence the big wine and olive production here - hottest day in Adelaide was 44 degrees.

Husband and I are heading off back to Sydney early tomorrow, (Monday), morning - taking the long way around the coastal highways. Will be Friday before we reach home, after six to eight hours drive per day.

(We'll have to keep an eye on the fire reports to be sure the roads aren't closed in places again, but I think we will be alright.)

Hope you're ok with Canada's winter Christmas experience - haven't had a white Christmas myself.

Can imagine CP Mary missing the Oz summer though - today was overcast, and we're all missing the blue sky and bright light after just one day! - the extreme heat of earlier weeks is already just a memory.

Cheers, Sun Lion.

[marfre]

Royal support from Mary

An article in one of the local papers advises that Mary has sent a message of support and encouragement to Tasmania's bushfire victims.

Part of the article.
Over the past week Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has grown increasingly concerned about the welfare of people in affected areas.
Danish Royal Court spokeswoman Lene Balleby make contact yesterday to pass on the royal family's sentiments.
"The Crown Princess has been closely following the development of the bushfires around Tasmania and has been in regular contact with family and friends," Ms Balleby said. "Her thoughts and concerns go out to everyone affected by these devastating fires."

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #03, 2013.
Mary dybt bekymret - Mary deeply worried.
Written by Marianne Singer.

The severe drought and fires in Tasmania in particular has also hit the Danish news.
The paper The Mercury has apparantly called the court and Lene Balleby said: "The Crown Princess has followed the forest fires on Tasmania with keen interest and (she) has been regular contact with family and friends. Her thoughts and concerns go to all who are affected by these devastating fires".

- This is of course an unofficial statement. The only one who issues official statements of sympathy in the DRF is the Monarch. (Alternatively in the name of the Monarch). Such a statement of sympathy is forwarded directly to the Australian head of state, i.e. QEII or the Govenor General.
Mary has previously been critizised in Australia for not issuing a statement of sympathy, when something dreadful has taken place there. But that is unfair. According to the protocol it's only the Monarch who issues such statements and that is on behalf of the entire DRF. - The Crown Princess does not issue official statements of sympathy on her own or on behalf of the Monarch, that would be inappropriate.