Danish Royal Family Christmas: 2003, 2004, 2006-2014, 2016-2023

[eya]

Still in Fredensborg Castle, and the nisse wandered into the Royal Life Guard area


https://www.instagram.com/p/B54XcRjgpoT/

[Countessmeout]

I have never heard of the Nisse until now. Now I am totally following it

Makes me think of the western 'elf on the shelf' at least the pictures. But he is so much cooler looking. Love the history.

[MARG]

I too have never heard of it but it is so lovely to follow and makes it really feel like the spirit of Christmas is present as we see and hear through your eyes and ears. Since here my most important thing to remember is sunscreen it doesn't evoke quite the same feeling so to those who are sharing their traditions with us, so thank you for sharing and God's blessings be upon you during this Advent.

[eya]

Today in Fredensborg Castle, the nisse discover the castle's unicorn, which Prince Henrik reportedly laid down in his time .Behind the unicorn is the great Dome Hall


https://www.instagram.com/p/B567_rDgUmp/


And a lovely portrait of Prince Christian.

[MARG]

Is that the Lion from 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' or does it have some Danish significance?

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by MARG

Is that the Lion from 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' or does it have some Danish significance?

The lion pictured with Prince Christian is one of three Danish "Realm Lions".
The painting is painted by Mikael Melbye

You can read more here: Three silver lions - The Royal Danish Collection
And here: Historical artefacts | The Danish Monarchy - Front Page

The full portrait of Prince Christian: http://www.mikael-melbye.com/da/gall...ndex.php?pid=3
And a full portrait of QMII: http://www.mikael-melbye.com/da/gall...ndex.php?pid=1

[eya]

Today 12 December in Fredensborg Castle, the nisse going to Chancery House, which is a stone's throw from Fredensborg Castle


https://www.instagram.com/p/B59f_zBAADR/

Merry Christmas from the Crown Prince Family!


https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...8173616304236/

[Tarlita]

Originally Posted by eya

Today 12 December in Fredensborg Castle, the nisse going to Chancery House, which is a stone's throw from Fredensborg Castle


https://www.instagram.com/p/B59f_zBAADR/

Thanks. I am enjoying this little nisse and their adventures. I also love the lions at Rosenborg and hope to see them one day.

Aw that was lovely. This family think up some interesting ideas. Including the horses made it nice and natural.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by eya

Merry Christmas from the Crown Prince Family!


https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...8173616304236/

That must be the royal staples at Christiansborg.

How kind of them to serve æbleskiver (literally apple-slices) for the horses.
Æbleskiver are not at all fattening - until the next day.
Here is a recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11037/aebleskiver/

They are indeed dapped in jam, sugar, powdered sugar or syrup for each bite. They must be eaten warm by not too hot, that spoils the taste.
And if you can't eat them all, dogs, crows and magpies are fond of them as well!
The best result is if the you make them in an iron-cast pan. I understand that an æbleskive-pan is very difficult to obtain outside DK. But perhaps at eBay or Amazon?
This is how an æbleskive-pan looks like:
https://www.magasin.dk/on/demandware...4147258469.jpg
https://www.harald-nyborg.dk/p7227/s...ande-stobejern

Put a little piece of butter in the holes inbetween pouring in the dough, which should have a consistency a little thinner than syrup.
Children and pensioners can easily wolf down ten æbleskiver. Teenagers and adult males can eat twenty.

[Ista]

That was a lovely video. I loved the horses snuffling up the crumbs, and without much slobbering, too--very well mannered horses

[polyesco]

what a nice video from the Crown Prince Family! love the inclusion of the horses

family photo
http://content.invisioncic.com/r3885...36300dd22b.png

info and article
Julehilsen fra Kronprinsfamilien | Kongehuset
https://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelig...ynter-juletrae

[eya]

On the occasion of Santa Lucia today, the nisse found Queen Ingrid's old hat depot in a deserted section of Fredensborg Castle


https://www.instagram.com/p/B6AEslHARpj/

The next stop of the Nisse today 14 December is the old royal castle Kronborg in Helsingør, were now serves as a museum

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6CxbslgaRO/

[FasterB]

Originally Posted by Muhler

That must be the royal staples at Christiansborg.

It is indeed the royal staples at Christiansborg. And IIRC then the white horses are of the breed "Kladruber", but I´m not 100% sure about that.

Originally Posted by Muhler

The best result is if the you make them in an iron-cast pan.

You caoukd also just buy them frozen in a bag from ex. Karen Wolf and warm them in the oven

[ashelen]

My mothr used to make it with apple in the midlle, very jummy

[Countessmeout]

I had only seen the photo before, now I am seeing the video.

Its such a sweet video, love them with the horses and the treats. I love the horse deciding that the humans should share their treats on the table.

I love the Danes and Swedish royals do videos like this. Get such a more personal look at the families then just photos released, without intruding into the privacy of the kids.

[Muhler]

That's because the nisse-girl seem to remember that Christmas was celebrated at Kronborg only some 400 years ago. - Nisser live a long time you know.
And it was. When Christian IV was a boy in the late 1500's he did celebrate Christmas at the brand-new Kronborg.
But Kronborg was after all a fortress and not a residence and too far away from Copenhagen for Christmas to be celebrated there regularly, I imagine.

Christian IV even wrote a letter to his younger brother from when he was between 8-13 years old. (There are countless letters by Christian IV.)
In that letter he wrote (translated from archaic Danish to more modern English):
"My dear brother, Duke Ulrich. If you study diligently and behave thou-self well, as you are often reminded, then our Lord Jesus will come to thee with many wares (gifts) on his birthday (Christmas.)"

”Min kære bror Hertug Ulrich. Hvis du studerer flittigt, og skikker Eder [dig] ordentligt, som du ofte påmindes, så kommer vor Herre Jesus til Eder [dig] med mange varer [gaver] til hans fødselstid [jul].”

Christian IV became a king while still a child, so a Guardian was appointed to look after him, while the Council of the Realm ruled the kingdom.
That included intensive schooling. And if little Christian didn't behave, he got a good spanking - on a number of occasions actually - king or not! Either from his tutor or guardian - or whoever adult around who had the responsibility to look after the young king.
There was no such thing as a whipping-boy.

The table is how a Christmas table looked in the 1600's. (If you were a good, God-fearing well-bred Lutheran.)

[HereditaryPrincess]

I loved the photo of the CP children - and nice to include the portrait of Christian too. I've been enjoying these Christmas updates from the DRF's Instagram a lot!

[eya]

In Kronborg today 15 December the Nisse believe they found the Santa Claous but not he is legendary prince Holger Danske

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6FcqpQgu5D/

[Muhler]

Holger Danske, as is his Danish name, was mentioned in the Roland-epic as being among the number of heroes who fell in a rearguard action in the 700's IIRC. Roland blew his horn repeatedly but help didn't get there in time, so they were all slain.
The epic spread all over Europe as a favorite tale of unselfish heroism, perfectly suited for the medieval knightly ideals.

Even though Holger Danske (under the name of Olger Danois IIRC) was mentioned in this famous poem, it's by no means certain he was historical figure, but I think he was. He was certainly around when the story originated, why else mention a number of specific names?

Anyway, Kronborg was build in the 1500's and at some point during the Middle Ages a myth arose here in DK, that Holger Danske was not really dead, but merely sleeping. So at some point it was decided he was sleeping at Kronborg. It was after all a hyper modern fortress designed to defend vital Danish interests: Who was sailing in and out of the Baltic Sea. And if need be block the entrance. (Great Belt was on purpose uncharted and to this day it's not the easiest sound to navigate in. So the best route in and out of the Baltic Sea remained Øresund, the sound passing Copenhagen - and Kronborg.)
So eventually a statue of the sleeping, fully armed, giant Holger Danske was made and placed there.
And should Denmark ever come in really serious trouble, he will wake up and slay our enemies.
H.C. Andersen wrote a tale in which you can read, that on each Christmas night an angel comes to visit Holger Danske, telling him he has only been dreaming and that he can safely go back to sleep again, because Denmark is in no serious danger.
- For those who have read the Christmas thread, you will know that according to folklore all sorts of strange, and downright scary things happen on Christmas Night here in DK!

Anyway, the reference to H.C. Andersen got our two nisse-siblings moving! For whatever reason they were reminded of the story of the little girl with the matches...
So perhaps they are going to the town of Odense? The birthplace of H.C. Andersen.
Or the old royal residence and castle of Koldinghus? Which burned in 1808 IIRC. Spanish soldiers were billeted there and the were very cold! And in an attempt to light up the old hearths the place burned.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Holger Danske, as is his Danish name, was mentioned in the Roland-epic as being among the number of heroes who fell in a rearguard action in the 700's IIRC. Roland blew his horn repeatedly but help didn't get there in time, so they were all slain.
The epic spread all over Europe as a favorite tale of unselfish heroism, perfectly suited for the medieval knightly ideals.

Even though Holger Danske (under the name of Olger Danois IIRC) was mentioned in this famous poem, it's by no means certain he was historical figure, but I think he was. He was certainly around when the story originated, why else mention a number of specific names?

Anyway, Kronborg was build in the 1500's and at some point during the Middle Ages a myth arose here in DK, that Holger Danske was not really dead, but merely sleeping. So at some point it was decided he was sleeping at Kronborg. It was after all a hyper modern fortress designed to defend vital Danish interests: Who was sailing in and out of the Baltic Sea. And if need be block the entrance. (Great Belt was on purpose uncharted and to this day it's not the easiest sound to navigate in. So the best route in and out of the Baltic Sea remained Øresund, the sound passing Copenhagen - and Kronborg.)
So eventually a statue of the sleeping, fully armed, giant Holger Danske was made and placed there.
And should Denmark ever come in really serious trouble, he will wake up and slay our enemies.
H.C. Andersen wrote a tale in which you can read, that on each Christmas night an angel comes to visit Holger Danske, telling him he has only been dreaming and that he can safely go back to sleep again, because Denmark is in no serious danger.
- For those who have read the Christmas thread, you will know that according to folklore all sorts of strange, and downright scary things happen on Christmas Night here in DK!

Anyway, the reference to H.C. Andersen got our two nisse-siblings moving! For whatever reason they were reminded of the story of the little girl with the matches...
So perhaps they are going to the town of Odense? The birthplace of H.C. Andersen.
Or the old royal residence and castle of Koldinghus? Which burned in 1808 IIRC. Spanish soldiers were billeted there and the were very cold! And in an attempt to light up the old hearths the place burned.

Holger's iconic status as the saviour of the Danish people is the reason that a prominent WWII resistance group was named after him.
I'm not sure about him sleeping at Kronborg though. There's a burial mound outside of Landskrona on the other side of the water carrying his name. He didn't do much to help when this part of old Denmark fell to the enemy.