Author: Line West

Happiest People in the World Again

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I am a little late on this news but this March the UN’s “World Happiness Report 2016 Update” came out and had the Danes back as the number one most happy people in the World. For a few years Denmark was behind a two other countries but here we are…the happiest again! So what makes the Danes so happy and how do you become Happy as a Dane? I am currently working on a guideline to be posted here on this blog to help you and me become a little more like a happy Dane every day.    

Nougat Marzipan Easter Eggs

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  These Easter eggs are a Danish classic. You can buy them everywhere in Denmark at Easter time and I whenever Easter comes I start craving them. So fortunately I just discovered that they are super easy to make! You need a roll of marzipan and half a roll of soft nougat – preferably from Denmark but maybe it can be found online… Then you cut both nougat and marzipan each into twelve pieces, put a ball shaped nougat piece into each slice of marzipan and roll it into a ball and then make it egg shaped. Dip them in melted dark chocolate. I decorated with licorice powder and dried raspberry powder but you don’t have to use this. Try to find pure marzipan without too much added sugar. Let it cool and enjoy!  

Trip to Cape Cod

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  It almost looks like a Danish beach – but it is not! It is South Yarmouth Beach on Cape Cod where we went to visit my in-laws last week. The kids insisted on bringing sand toys to the beach. They just couldn’t imagine going to the beach without shovels and buckets and it took us a while to convince my daughter not to bring her swimsuit… They built castles without caring about chilly winds, sand everywhere (like inside the diaper!) and whatever we grown-ups like to care about. We even found a beach with a playground where children can swing while overlooking the beautiful sea! And for me and my Danish mother-in-law it was so refreshing to see the ocean again. I am not sure why but I found many glimpses of Denmark in Cope Cod – probably because of the cooler weather and the nearness of the water everywhere you go. So refreshing and free relaxation for the mind. Shells! My daughter collected two bags of pretty shells for her jewelry collection.   …

Danish Children’s Clothes

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Let me just say it right away – I LOVE Danish children’s clothes!! The designs are so cool and cute and it is practical at the same time. And I just discovered a web shop that sells almost all of my favorite Danish children’s clothing brands worldwide! Copenhagenstyles.com Check out the Smafolk and Katvig brands which are my personal favorites with fun prints. Or Melton which offers the cutest hats and mittens in a wool blend that makes them soft and warm at the same time! I love how Danish children’s clothes not only looks good but is designed for comfort and play and for being outside in all kinds of weather. Copenhagenstyles.com also sells the famous Flensted mobiles and toys for babies and kids. bObles is a great brand producing toys to develop motor skills and are highly appealing to kids! For some reason the foam material is very attractive to them and when my kids’ friends come over to our house they always want to play with our bObles toys. They look so simple …

Danish Coziness

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There is one word you will hear over and over again in Denmark: “Hygge”. It is hard to translate correctly because it is a uniquely Danish term but “coziness” or “togetherness” is the best I can translate it. It is at the core of Danish culture to have a good and cozy time together. This could also be part of the reason why Danes are so happy. They take the time to just “be” together. This leads me to another point. I think Danish parents generally speaking are good at taking their time to “be” with their children. Time to just “hygge”/be cozy and relax together. Not that they don’t live busy lives like everybody else but I guess it is a question of priority. Hmmm… personally I find it hard to drop what I am doing to listen and “be” with my children. It is sad to admit but my head is constantly wrapped around practical stuff and to-do lists – so how do I find time to just sit down and be cozy/”hygge” …

Parenting the Happiest Children

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I just read “The Danish Way of Parenting”. I loved it and finished it in a few days! This is something that never happens when you have two small kids. It was that good and it was that interesting to me. It is written by American author, Jessica Alexander who is married to a Dane and by a recognized Danish psychotherapist, Iben Sandahl. They claim that the reason why the Danes have been voted as one of the happiest people in the world since 1973 is their way of bringing up their children. Based on years of research the authors discovered the special Danish way. The book clearly lays out this method of bringing up some of the happiest children in the world. I don’t want to reveal too much but strongly encourage everyone with children or planning to have children or just anyone wanting more harmonic family get togethers to read this book! You don’t have to be a Dane to learn from what has proven to work well on Danish children. Anyone can …

Danish Homes – Coziness and Style

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    Danish homes are where “hygge” or “coziness” originates from. Maybe it is the long dark winters that necessitate these homes be full of atmosphere, personality and style. The short winter days call for extra “hygge”, more tea candles, more hot chocolate – and wine – and more time spent together with the family in the home. While there is almost always a big tv in the living room, a coffee table takes center stage. Around the coffee table people have coffee and cake together with friends and family while seated in comfy chairs or a couch. Guests are almost always invited into the living room. For some reason this doesn’t seem to be the case in the U.S. where the formal dining room or the kitchen island/table are the primary places for socializing. I think it says a lot about Danish culture that we like to socialize around a coffee table. We just like to “hygge” with coffee and cake and sit down and relax together. Americans seem to be more “on the …

Danish Happiness

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In Denmark equality is highly valued. We also like to be alike, not to stand out too much from the crowd. There is not as much pressure to perform as in the US where I live now. I will explain how this affects childhood, culture and maybe even happiness… If you go to Denmark you might be surprised to see that most Danes don’t walk around with a big pearly smile all the time! Danish happiness should probably be translated into “being content”. It is more of an inner feeling of being satisfied with life than a constant bubbly happiness. It is ok not to be happy all the time which might be the very reason why people actually feel happy! There is no pressure. More on this later… So, does the Danish happiness start already in childhood? I think so… Danish children have a lot of time to play – time to be children. Free play is highly valued and seen as an important skill rather than time wasted. Not only does the relaxed attitude make …

Try this Danish food blog

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I found another Dane in the US who is posting Danish recipes on her blog mydanishkitchen.com She has been doing this much longer than I have and her recipes look delicious and detailed with pictures of how to do it and advice on where to find these special Danish ingredients! Needless to say I am excited – and relieved! She is saving me lots of time trying to translate recipes into English!! So if you are looking to do Danish cooking in America go to: mydanishkitchen.com There is a recipe for dark rye bread there that I can’t wait to try!!

Hot chocolate in the snow!

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    We had a snowstorm again and there are some extremely cold days ahead of us! Could there be a better excuse to indulge in comforting hot chocolate? My Danish mother-in-law, Kirsten, makes the best hot chocolate. It is very rich and has just the right amount of sugar. And, what’s even better, she has shared her recipe with me! Now, my kids ask for it all the time and I honestly feel very happy to fulfill this request… in fact I need it too! So here it is… Kirsten’s hot chocolate Ingredients: 1/2 gallon whole milk 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup sugar A little extra whole milk for the chocolate paste   How to make it: In a medium sized pot heat the milk up to just below the boiling point (do not let it boil!) In a bowl stir together the cocoa and sugar. Slowly add a little milk and stir it until it forms a thick paste Add this paste to the hot milk Serve with whipped cream on top