Ingrid – April 24, 2017 As I write, I’m sneaking a peak at the program for the April 22 Kick-Off Celebration for The Danish Home’s 125 anniversary, which will have already occurred by the time you read this. I can already tell that this will be a wonderful event, celebrating both the history and the…
Mia – April 10, 2017 It felt a little strange to return to The Danish Home after so many years. The last time I was there, I was a little girl excited to “help” my mother and other Women’s Auxiliary members host festive birthday celebrations for the residents each month. Now I’m a grown woman…
Ella – March 27, 2017 I can hardly believe my words are appearing as part of The Hope Chest! I, like many of you, have been enjoying these correspondents and anxiously awaiting the entries that contain shared memories, travels, recipes, and connections to ancestry. So much of it is familiar to me. I am Ella,…
February 2, 2017 Growing up, I was pampered with the blessings of being raised in a Danish-American household. Not only because I was surrounded by my extended family much of the time, but also due to the traditional Danish meals that were prepared for us nearly every day. Mormor passed down many…
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.” -Henry David Thoreau It is no secret that when we gather all of those we love most and get our fill of delicious food it is one of the best things ever, but I believe the most special part is…
October 6, 2016 For many, the feeling of fall in the air brings a warm wistfulness that simply can not be rivaled during any other season. Sure, we anticipate the first blooms of spring after a long, dreary winter, and those carefree days of summer are a blast, but there are just so many…
April, 14, 2016 Despite my ancestral composition being over ninety percent Scandinavian, I have never set foot on Denmark jord (soil) or any ‘Skandinavien’ jord, for that matter. Regardless of how many stories Mormor tells me about her days growing up in Danmark, Mit Fædreland, and no matter how many books on living Danishly…
October 7, 2015 I have to say that the sensory aspects of efterår (fall) are among my favorite. The smell of pumpkin spice and wood burning from the occasional bål (bonfire), feeling the crisp air and seeing the changing leaves is something I will never get tired of. What makes this time of…
Last Sunday was The Danish Home of Chicago’s annual Summer Festival and I was glad I made it out for the festivities. It was another great afternoon full of traditional Danish entertainment, games and activities for the kids, and loads of Danish fare. It was great meeting new people and visiting with so many that…
June 18, 2015 One of the things I love most about summertime is picking strawberries. The hours toiling away to gather those deliciously sweet and succulent berries is still something I look forward to each year, and nothing takes me back to my childhood quite like thinking about the hours I spent doing so…