A tradition I remember from growing up in Denmark is that we always had œbleskiver on the first sunday in Advent, and to this tradition I have added the making of our wreath, I always had an advent wreath at home, but we rarely made it ourselves. I would traditionally also hang our advent bags today, yet being at my sisters house we have mixed our traditions up and will hang them on the first of December instead.
This morning bright and early the children and I set out to find some pine branches with which to make our wreath. Jack frost had come to visit in the night and everything looked as if it had been sprinkled with sugar.
It was a cold and lovely morning..
In the afternoon we set out to make our wreath, the children always take part in the ceremony of creating the wreath, even if simply with their presence.
I make a very simple wreath, and make much the same kind every year.
I start with a grapevine base, and with green wire attach the pine branches and the little cups to hold the candles, I keep wrapping until the base is covered and the cups secured, then I add red silk ribbon around the candle holders and this year I added a few pinecones as well.
This year the wreath will be our dining table center piece, although I really love to attach long red ribbons and hang it from the ceiling.
As I mentioned, we light our first candle when we sit down to enjoy this Danish speciality called œbleskiver.
It is much like pancakes really, the batter is anyways, but it is cooked in one of these cast iron pans with 7 little holes in it, I actually got my pan in the states, perhaps it is traditionally used for something else here though, not sure?
Anyways, the batter is a mixture of butter milk 2 cups, flour 240 grams (I used half whole wheat pastry),
1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 Tbl sugar and one egg, the egg whites are beaten stiff and added last, then the batter rests for a half hour and is cooked in the hot pan with butter,
and turned with a knitting needle.
and turned with a knitting needle.
We then dip them in our homemade jam and in sugar, not very healthy, but very delicious!
Then we light the first candle on our wreath, sit together around the fire
and the children can hardly believe that Christmas is almost here...
~may you have a wonderful Christmas season~
