Royal Danish Christmas

This year's Christmas card from the Crown Prince Couple! It was taken by Steen Brogaard on November 16 when the Crown Prince Couple held a topping out ceremony at Amalienborg's Frederik VIII's palace. The photos are great, but it looks like the Christmas card house style could do with a makeover! The 2005 card wins hands down in the opinion of your trusty blogger. We haven't seen any other cards from the Danish royals.

Previous Christmas cards of Frederik and Mary and family. 1) 2004 in Greenland on the Dannebrog, 2) 2005 and Christian's first Christmas and wonderful Ziggy included, 3) 2006 4) 2007:



And on Christmas arrangements this year from Billed Bladet no. 51, 20 December 2007 'Ni til bords Juleaften' – Nine for dinner on Christmas Eve:

Nine will be present on Christmas Eve at Marselisborg. The Regent Couple, Mary and Frederik and their children, Joachim and Marie. And, a close friend of the Regent Couple, Peter Parkov.
Joachim and Marie are expected on Sunday the 23rd while Mary and Frederik are also expected to arrive on the same day.
As tradition dictates, the DRF will attend a service in Århus Domkirke (cathedral) in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, before returning to Marselisborg and Christmas dinner.
Christmas dinner will consist of rice pudding, roast goose and the traditional English Christmas cake.
The Regent Couple arrive Friday and the Queen decorates the tree with homemade Christmas decorations. The Queen makes new ones every year. But she only starts making them after arriving at Marselisborg. She also decorates the Christmas table.
“I’ve made Christmas decorations since childhood.”
“I always try a different setting (on the table) each year. That’s how my mother did it and I have continued that tradition.”
The 25th is spent walking and digesting. The Queen, maybe with others, will attend a service in the cathedral again.
The men folk will go hunting at Ledreborg Manor in Eastern Jutland on the 27th, while the ladies will have a lunch together.
The Regent Couple will return to Copenhagen by train on the 30th. (written by Annelise Weimann and kindly translated by Muhler!)

The Regent Couple and the Crown Prince Couple with Prince Joachim will return to Copenhagen in time for the Queen's New Year message on the 31st and then the New Year Courts, beginning on January 1st.

The Queen's decorative handiwork. She made this Christmas dog for Nikolai and Felix just over a week ago. It is in the back of Henrik's car with their toys before returning home with them after an outing to Tivoli with the Queen and Prince Henrik.