Christmas Eve is coming up!

In my family, we have a tradition. Every Christmas Eve, we get together and enjoy some good food, some good conversation and some good times together.

In my family, Christmas Eve starts at noon on the 24th, and can sometimes run until midnight. Some of my family members attend church, but I am not really interested in attending church, so I just stay home, and usually I am watching tv or preparing something for later on in the evening. Once people are home from church, the table is filled with candy, cookies and drinks. Either soda or water for the kids, and beer for the adults. The food is then prepared at about 2.30 - 3 pm, so it'll be ready for 6 pm, when we sit down to eat.

Usually, the food is traditional Danish Christmas food: roasted pork, roasted duck, two types of potatoes (regular and caramelized), pickled cabbage, thick gravy and sometimes, we also have heated potato chips, as a side dish for the gravy.

After the food, we bring each bring out three small gifts, and place them in the middle of the table. It can be everything from a small toy to candy. There is a catch, though: All the gifts has to have a maximum value of 30 DKK, which is just under $5. Then, we bring out a dice and a raffle cup. We then take turns rolling the dice. If your dice lands on a six, you get to take a gift. Once all the gifts have been taken, the timer is set. Usually for about 15 minutes. For those next 15 minutes, if you roll a six, you are allowed to take a gift from someone. The aim of the game is to have as many gifts as possible, by the time the clock rings. It's always good fun, and it's always a huge hit.

Once we have distributed all the small gifts, it's time for the thing that no other country has: Risalamande. It is a dessert made of rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, sugar, vanilla, and chopped almonds. It is served cold with either warm or cold cherry sauce. Just to demonstrate how cruel/brilliant us Danes are, there is a tradition to the risalamande: a whole almond is added to the dessert, and the person who finds it wins a small prize such as a marzipan pig, a chocolate heart or a small board game. The finder may conceal their discovery as long as possible, so that the rest of the company is forced to eat the entire dish of risalamande, even after they have already devoured a large Christmas dinner.

If people are still awake by that time, it's time for the Christmas gifts. At this time, more candy, cookies and drinks are brought out. Usually, we have enough drinks to fill a swimming pool, and combined with what seems like about 30 kilos of food and snacks, most people go into a food coma. I am usually not hungry for the next few days after a Christmas Eve in my family.

Everyone is welcome - even friends. If someone doesn't have a place to celebrate Christmas Eve, they are welcome to spend it with my family. The only demand is three small gifts, and if they want to bring Christmas gifts for everyone, they are welcome to do that as well, but that's not a requirement.

I am looking forward to this years celebrations! We are going to be seven people, so it's gonna be a lot of fun!