Scandinavian Green by Trine Hahnemann

Author:Trine Hahnemann
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Ltd
Published: 2020-08-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHRISTMAS

Christmas is a very special time. It comes from a long Christian tradition dating back nearly to pre-history, but over the last 200 years has changed almost beyond recognition. Today it is a riot of commercialism, bringing stress both to those trying to amass piles of presents for their family, and to others who spend this time of year alone.

If you have read any of my other books, you’ll know that Christmas is a time of year that means a lot to me. I love ending the year in a festive way, entertaining my friends and family. I decorate my house, letting the hygge ooze from the walls. I bake, I cook (a lot) and I enjoy it all immensely. At the same time, I understand the difficult paradoxes of the season and feel them more and more as the years go by.

I still feel huge joy when I unwrap my silly little Christmas ornaments, collected through the years. I think this emotion is linked to repetition, to the knowledge that certain rituals mark out your life. What would time feel like if there was no pattern? Most of us need to mark the passing of another year. So we wear silly hats, bring a tree into the house and hang shiny things on it, drink and eat way too much and also spend far too much money.

When I look at the world, my intellect tells me it is time to change the way we celebrate Christmas, but my heart is not in it. I do love Christmas so. Then, as the paradoxes play with my brain, I begin to feel that it’s time to uproot the traditions and do something else. That first step could be to start cooking something new.

So perhaps consider leaving the much-loved poultry out of the ritual and going green instead. I know this is a big leap. Of all the meals of the year, Christmas dinner is – in so many cultures – set in stone, and it can stir up anxieties to change even the smallest thing. However, I have devised this green Christmas dinner, where I keep some traditions and change others, but leave out the meat. You might wonder: what next? No Christmas tree? Stop buying presents? One thing I know: no one’s taking my silly, shiny, beautiful ornaments.

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