Thanksgiving in Denmark

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  Perhaps because it's in my favorite season with my favorite colors, with my favorite foods, surrounded by some of my favorite people, and sometimes it even lands on our wedding anniversary!  This year we spent my favorite holiday going to work and German class and eating leftovers from the previous nights dinner.  Not my ideal way to spend my favorite holiday. BUT - we were celebrating a few days late this year in a new special way - in Denmark for a Danish American Thanksgiving Feast!

A quick recap from my last post: high school friends Mike and Sidsel are living in Denmark for 6 months on her family farm with their two absolutely adorable daughters, soaking up culture and doing renovations in the farmhouse.  Last year they had a large family thanksgiving so this year they decided to hold a friend thanksgiving and we gladly accepted when we got the invitation!



The Fjederholt

 We arrived in Billund on Friday afternoon to rain, rain, and more rain but were cheerfully greeted by Mike and Den Stur at the airport.  We got a glimpse of Legoland (did you know Billund is Lego's birthplace?) and pulled up the long driveway to the house a little bit later.   It was so great to see Sidsel after many years and meet her youngest, Den Lillie, as well as their two friends, Evan and Tallie, that made the trek overseas from the states for the Feast.  Sidsel prepared a lovely dinner for us and we enjoyed an evening of Danish treats, Juleberg Christmas beer and our own version of SongPop for hours!  It was a fun night!

Saturday morning we woke to no rain! After breakfast burritos with New Mexican green chilies we ventured out for a stroll in the countryside because the breaking sun was calling us. We were all bundled as we made our way down the long driveway.

We encountered cute kitties and a barn full of pretty brown cows. We came to the little river and threw in sticks and leaves waiting for them to go under the bridge but we're not sure where they went because they wouldn't come through the other side!

A short while later Sidsel caught up with us after getting the turkeys in the oven and we made our way back to the house to help her get ready for the rest of the guests.

We had a small electrical mishap that slowed the cooking process down but once Sidsel and Evan fixed it we were preparing in full force and it was a lot of fun!  A couple of nuts - Tallie and Shawna - cracking the pecans :)

The menu consisted of traditional thanksgiving yummies: turkey and gravy, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, twice baked potatoes, cranberry, homemade rolls, green salad and of course pumpkin and apple pies for dessert.

The Powersolo guys and their families started arriving mid-afternoon and shortly after, kids were running around, warm delicious smells filled the house, everyone was chatting cheerfully and chaos in the kitchen all put such a smile on my face! Oh and wine, there's always wine. It was great. Dinner was ready, all 20 something of us were seated and the Danes did the honors of cutting the turkeys! Kim and Ida Marie did a fantastic job and then filled their bellies with our traditional American Thanksgiving foods.

After dinner we sat around chatting and picking up before digging into desserts.  What a great meal we just had - said by all the Danes and Americans!  The kids were even full too!

A little taste of our evening entertainment.

 

 

Later in the evening a fire was built outside in the cold night air.  As much as we would have loved to warm up by it we hit the sheets since we were leaving early Sunday morning back to Frankfurt.  It was a quick weekend and a wonderful way to spend my favorite holiday!  Thank you again Mike and Sidsel for the hospitality and we hope that the "friend Thanksgiving" added to this generations list of good memories!

PICTURES from the weekend.

Why we didn't capture a picture BEFORE we were on our way out the door is a good question but none the less - here is one for a great reunion!  I don't think any of us look a day older than we did back in high school 16 years ago - wait did I just say we are HOW old?!  Regardless...what fun!