Atlantica - 01.11.2002, Side 37

A T L A N T I C A 35
What are your fondest Christmas memories?
The Christmas parcel from our grandparents. It was always the
last one to be unpacked, huge as it was, and a whole adventure of
small parcels. (We were five children and sometimes cousins
spent Christmas with us.) The first thing on top of all the parcels
was a fir branch with a red bow which spread its smell of forest
and summer all over, and underneath it were all the beautifully
wrapped gift parcels. They were not big nor expensive, but all of
them were meaningful and had a very personal touch. I try to
evoke the same atmosphere when sending Christmas parcels to
our grandchildren.
What do you do on Christmas Eve?
If at all possible we attend the Christmas service, which in
Denmark normally takes place in the afternoon. After the tradi-
tional Christmas dinner, we light the Christmas tree – in our fami-
ly we use both electric lights and candles. We then sing the tradi-
tional Christmas carols and finally we dance round the Christmas
tree singing two of the more lively Christmas songs – which is the
part children love most apart from opening their Christmas gifts.
What sort of food do you typically eat at Christmas?
Normally we eat roast duck with caramelized small potatoes and
red cabbage (cut into thin slices, which are first browned in butter,
then mixed with pieces of apple, red currant juice, red currant jelly
and sugar, and left to simmer for a couple of hours until soft and
juicy). Our dessert is riz-á-l´amande, which is rice and milk boiled
down to a porridge then mixed with port wine, minced almonds
and whipped cream. Together with the dessert goes an "almond
gift", that is one whole almond is hidden in the riz-á-l´amande and
the one who gets it receives a gift.
What is your favourite Christmas movie/novel?
I don’t really have a favourite Christmas movie or novel, but I pre-
fer tales for children, one of the most moving being ‘The Little
Match-Girl’ by Hans Christian Andersen, or the more traditional
‘Peters Jul’ by Pietro Krohn. But then, why not mention the most
beautiful ‘The Gospel for Christmas Day’? Or, for that matter, let
yourself be carried away by music, like the Christmas Oratorio by
Johann Sebastian Bach.
What’s your Christmas wish?
I hope that mankind will become more sensible.
Paul & Shark er hágæða, klassískur fatnaður fyrir dömur
og herra. Hönnunin er ítölsk og framleiðslan eins og hún
gerist best.
The best of Italian quality clothing in the center of
Reykjavík
Bankastræti 9 · 101 Reykjavík · Tel +354 511 1135 · www.jaktin.is
HANNE MØRCH IS THE WIFE OF THE DANISH
AMBASSADOR IN ICELAND. SHE LIKES TO KEEP UP THE
DANISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS WHEREVER SHE MAY
BE IN THE WORLD.
Silent Night
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