Many of us associate Christmas with the most beautiful and magic time of the whole year. Danish community of HQ MNC NE prepared annual celebration called Jule–Gløgg to make us feel this way a bit earlier, on December 3.
Danish community of the Corps put a lot of effort to make rather still autumn afternoon unique. At the Garrison Church a traditional St. Lucia procession of children dressed in white started the celebration. The children were singing the St. Lucia song and holding the candles, which beautifully illuminated the church. As usual, one girl was chosen to be the Lucia bride to lead this procession of light. For this purpose she was wearing a wreath of fir and candles on her head. After the procession there was time for prayers and Christmas songs. An extraordinary setting was created by a playing violinist, who was accompanied by the organ.
However, spiritual experience was not all that was planned for that afternoon. At the Baltic Barracks a beautifully decorated gym and, as it was said, the best military music band of Denmark were waiting for the honourable guests. Among them there were His Excellency Hans Michael Kofoed-Hansen, Danish Ambassador to Poland (see interview with the Ambassador in Other Stories), Maria Egense, Deputy Ambassador, Colonel Klavs Lawes, Danish Defence Attaché and Andrzej Preiss, Honourable Consul of The Kingdom of Denmark in Szczecin. Also the Corps’ Command Group took part in Jule–Gløgg – Lieutenant General Zdzisław Goral, Commander HQ MNC NE, Major General Jan Brun Andersen, his Deputy and Brigadier General Josef Heinrichs, Chief of Staff.
Colonel Erik Bruhn, Danish Senior National Officer on behalf of Danish Community, delivered an introductory speech in which he welcomed the gathered and invited them to try traditional Danish delicacies and drinks including Jule–Gløgg, which gave the name for the whole celebration. Traditional Jule–Gløgg consists of red wine and a drop of brandy or snaps with raisins, pieces of almond, cinnamon, cardamom and other spices. Jule–Gløgg is usually served with a small hot cake of batter called "apple-piece" even though it does not contain apple anymore. It is eaten with jam and sugar or icing sugar instead.
It is important to stress a charitable character of the celebration since Danish ladies prepared a special Christmas bazaar with homemade Danish treats and Christmas decorations. Gathered money was donated to the Special Needs School in Stare Czarnowo.
Those who organized the collection of money and those who contributed to it could feel they did something good for children to make them happy. After all, everybody should be happy at Christmas. And even though the weather outside the windows still hides behind autumn greyness, we can only feel the aroma of Jule–Gløgg and dream about white Christmas.
