9 December: "It is not the most traditional way of spending Christmas"
Agnieszka Radziwon, assistant professor at Department of Business Development and Technology, is from Poland. This year she celebrates Christmas together with the closest family at a Spa resort.
The Omnibus Advent Calendar:
The Advent calendar is a treasured Danish Christmas tradition. In many families, kids get to open a small gift each day all December until Christmas Eve, when Christmas is celebrated.
Our small holiday gift to you is a chance to meet one of AU’s many international students and employees every day until Christmas.
All 24 will share where they’re spending Christmas this year, their favorite (and least favorite) Christmas traditions from their home countries, and what’s most annoying – or surprising – about Christmas in Denmark.
How are you going to celebrate Christmas this year?
This year, together with the closest family (about 15–20 people), we plan to spend Christmas at a Spa resort located in a Palace called Brunow – one of many Lower Silesian castles. It is not the most traditional way of spending Christmas, but since the family got extended in recent years, we plan to relax.
What is the best / worst Christmas tradition from your home country?
The best tradition is related to excellent food. The traditional Polish Christmas meal consists of 12 dishes and everyone has to try each of them. Saying it’s a lot of food is an understatement, and since the tradition was born, everyone leaves Christmas dinner totally full. And, by the way, bread is not considered a dish – as children, me and my siblings and cousins tried to negotiate this with our parents, but they were never convinced.
The worst tradition is that our traditional Christmas fish is a fat, muddy carp which has a lot of fish bones. Well, it does not taste that bad – even though ‘one has to fully grow up to appreciate carp’s taste’. Carp is best served as fresh as possible. Now comes the worst part – for years, ‘fresh’ meant that people kept them in their own bathtubs until 24th December. It would not prevent anyone from taking a bath, someone would just have to move the fish to the sink – but the fish would be watching you!
What do you think is most annoying about Danish Christmas?
I am not sure if there is (still) something annoying about Danish Christmas. I think I gradually got used to the idea that December is a rather relaxed month at work – it is hard to get things done when everyone is at Julefrokost here and there. Nevertheless, it is a pity that Danish Christmas (in Denmark) is not white, which means no snowman and no chance of kulig (a sleigh ride party). But the best part of Danish Christmas is one small thing that was imported from Denmark to Poland. We immediately fell in love with it and our relatives cannot imagine Christmas without it. This adopted tradition is the Pakkeleg game.
- Wesołych świąt!
The Omnibus Advent Calendar:
The Advent calendar is a treasured Danish Christmas tradition. In many families, kids get to open a small gift each day all December until Christmas Eve, when Christmas is celebrated.
Our small holiday gift to you is a chance to meet one of AU’s many international students and employees every day until Christmas.
All 24 will share where they’re spending Christmas this year, their favorite (and least favorite) Christmas traditions from their home countries, and what’s most annoying – or surprising – about Christmas in Denmark.