So, a few of you have remarked that as I was before blogging to tell my friends and family about my life abroad, I should now blog and tell my friends abroad about my life and family here in Denmark. I probably won’t remember to do it very often, especially as some people here get annoyed when I write in English, but here’s a first try.
This Monday my aunt Anni and uncle Peter, my Mother’s older brother, had their silver wedding. Especially for a divorce-child like me, there is something amazing about people staying happily married for 25 years, so here’s a few pictures from the day.
Unfortunately I forgot my camera in the morning, so you’ll have to imagine that part. In Denmark for 25th and 50th wedding anniversaries family, friends and collegues will gather outside the couple’s house in the morning and sing a few tradtional songs accompanied by wind instuments. Supposedly this wakes the couple up and they come out and invite the whole party in for breakfast. (Though in truth they’ll be awake already as breakfast for that many people does not make itself in an instant.)
The guests go away again after not so long, as most of them have work, and there’ll then usually be a dinner party in the evening.
Here we have my uncle, being subjected to having his bow tie loosened by my Mother before dinner. (“Isn’t that thing strangling you?” Pounce.)
And here he is giving the welcome speach, a bit tear choked. In my Mother’s side of the family we are all prone to lots of tears at speach-moments. 
Here, during dinner, is my cousin Nina, Anni and Peter’s daughter. While I was gone not only did she loose the 12 kilos she gained when she stopped smoking a few years ago, get into a very attractive shape working out, she also looked very happy with her boyfriend Mathias. I tried to take their picture a couple of times, but he kept hiding behind her 🙂
Here, during a break between courses, my Mother caught me sneaking a picture of her.
After dinner at weddings and wedding anniversaries, the couple dances the “Wedding Waltz”, a waltz to a special tune. All the guests close in around them clapping in time to the music until eventually they have no space in which to dance and instead kiss.
Later other people dance as well – here it’s my Mother and her husband, Lasse swinging the wooden leg (you probably can’t say that in English. Too bad).
Finally, after drinks, lots of food, speaches, songs (it’s tradition in Denmark to compose songs for and about the person(s) having the occasion, describing their achievements and amusing mishaps. As the Damhøjs are all raised on irony, some of ours have a decent bite ;-)), dancing, wine and coffee it got late, and the “Go away food” was served. (A smaller snack meal just before the party ends, often soup.)
This evening we got hot dogs, here you can see a tired Lasse (who had work Tuesday morning, poor soul) indicating he had two already.
Not long after I took pity on him (and on my own sore feet, dancing in stilettos takes its toll) gathered the people I’d promised to chauffeur and took them home to bed.
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