This morning Paul made aebleskiver for breakfast. Aebleskiver is a Danish round ball “pancake” that is made in a pan explicitly created for this – and in my understanding serves no other purpose. It was our traditional Christmas morning breakfast when I was growing up.I love Christmas. I’ve always loved Christmas. I love to decorate for Christmas, to shop for Christmas, to write my annual Christmas letter and to send cards. I love Christmas music. I love Christmas parties. I love Christmas lights. I love baking Christmas goodies and giving them away. I get teary-eyed at the season’s Hallmark card commercials, and still cry over that old Folgers coffee commercial they bring back every year.
And I truly love Christmas traditions - those I’ve grown up with and continue to keep, and those my own family has created through the years. The traditions I grew up with came from the Danish – my maternal grandfather’s tradition. We celebrate on Christmas Eve. I have the Nissa Men – mischievous Danish elves who are Santa’s eyes and ears – scattered throughout the house. We make kliner – a Danish Christmas cookie that is rolled, twisted and deep fried to make beautiful and delicious little knots.
On Christmas morning we make and serve Eggs Benedict to family and friends. Our tradition for over 20 years now, this started when two of our neighbors had just gone through divorce and were alone on Christmas morning. Since then both have remarried, but they keep coming to our home on Christmas morning.
Here’s the good news – the way that we have traditionally spent Christmas will likely not change as we retire. We’ve never been extravagant spenders, so we won’t need to transition to a more frugal Christmas. And the traditions of my childhood – and that of my children – will live on. Merry Christmas!
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