Each December 23rd we celebrate the Scandinavian holiday Lille Julaften-
or Little Christmas Eve.
After a beautiful church service in the morning, we delivered Christmas cheer,
(our Christmas card and bottle of our favorite bubblie)
to our friends and neighbors.
After back at home, I set and decorated the table for our Lille Julaften
dinner. Mr. Nielson and I cooked our favorite traditional
Danish and Norwegian foods.
This year I added crowns, (our little nod to our friends across the pond)
to our traditional Little Christmas Eve dinner.
We ate risalamande with cherry sauce, small baked colored potatoes,
cauliflower in parmesan melt, warm butter rolls,
buttered lemon scallops, agurkesalat
(cucumber and dill salad),
and shredded greens with poppy seed dressing.
For dessert, I made chocolate mousse and if that wasn't enough,
I also served the most delicious, and most rich hot chocolate known to man.
It's become a staple around our house during the holidays.
(Beware: you have to babysit this delicious concoction,
but it's soooooo good and sooooooo worth it).
Around the table before dinner, Christian and I made toasts to our rich heritage,
and those who came before us and sacrificed so much for our family.
We are a lucky bunch.
Of course the toast included our gratitude and love for Christ,
and his birth and mission on earth.
Our little Christmas Eve dinner is one of our
most favorite family traditions.
Merry Christmas Eve to you!
