December 31st - New Years Eve

Amazing how fast 2011 has run by, and in a few hours we will greet 2012 welcome. Spending this New Year's Eve alone - I said no to invitations, as have been working 4 days this week, and need the weekend to relax, since work calls again on Monday as does the monthly MS treatment. Spending it alone however does not imply that I do not do New Years traditions :o)

6:00 PM Queen Margrethe II's annual speach on TV



Change of guards at Amalienborg Castle

Seriously considering if I should go down to see the change of guards, if I am home on New Year's Eve in 2012 since I live 15-walking minutes from the castle.

 

2011 (just aired)

Noticed last year, that the queens speach to the nation in UK is on Christmas Day - but here we have our queen's speach tonight. A lot of New Years Eve parties start at 6:00 PM where the guests, equipped with a welcome drink, gather before the television sets and watch the queen on tv. 

Many bets are placed regarding the contents of the speach: Will she mention the world's economic situation? World hunger? Some of the nature disasters through the year? Or the typical question at my parent's house: Will she mention the navy/the men at sea?

My New Years Dinner this year: Spicy lobstertail soup with kroepock (prawn crackers). Why have I never made this before? It tastes scrumptious - had two portions - and is fairly easy to make. I made some alterations to the original recipe, and will share it with you in the new year. Come to think of it - this could be an excellent starter if holding a New Year's party. Traditional New Year's dinner in Denmark is steamed cod with potatoes and mustard sauce - I like cod, just not that version of it.

You might notice the glass of bobly next to it - it is ASTI - and is part of my tradition. See champagne is often less stong than redwine, and by drinking the same thing all night and not mixing it with strong drinks, you don't get so wasted New Year's Day - always do this no matter if I am attending a New Year's party or simply staying at home.

11:40 PM Dinner for One

I can almost hear your thoughts now "Didn't she have dinner a couple of hours ago?!" Well this is one of THE most important Danish New Year's Traditions :o) TV is on again with this 15 minute long sketch shot in 1963 (but written back in the 1930's) making everybody laugh or join the dialogue, since we Danes know it very well. Have introduced it to a lot of non-Danish colleagues in the shipping business, at first they are skeptic, but before it ends: they are hooked to. One year the Danish national television chose not to air it: big mistake!! People got very upset and demanded it back. And since most people turn on the TV to hear the bells of Copenhagen Town Hall, it's being aired just before that.

12:00AM: HAPPY NEW YEAR



Well just one more absolutely Danish New Year's tradition - the Danish kransekage (wreath cake) which is made of marcipan, eggyolk and flour. Usually they are wreath shaped, and made into small towers, but spending the New Year's alone I went for the smaller version (will most likely not be able to eat both of them).. a very sweet taste but goes well with champagne.

Happy New Year

&

A prosperous 2012