Sankt Hans Aften

Tuesday evening, we celebrated the holiday of Sankt Hans Aften, or St. John's Eve. It is historically both a pagan and Christian celebration. It is a combination of the summer solstice and the birth of John the Baptist. They burn a large bonfire which it thought to ward of evil spirits. A tradition of putting a witch made of straw and cloth on the bonfire emerged as a remembrance of the church's witch burnings in medievel times. This burning sends the "witch" away to Bloksbjerg, a mountain in Germany where the great witch gathering was thought to be held on this day. After lighting the fire they sing traditional hymns around the fire.

Broderick was quite excited to go to this bonfire on the beach and "burn a witch". Hmmm dad... maybe not the best thing to tell our 2 year old. We had dinner at our friends Morten and Lizbeth's house and then went to the beach to see the bonfire. They had a great BBQ and just when we thought we couldn't put any more food in us, they brought out hotdogs. I guess any BBQ in Denmark ends with hotdogs, it doesn't matter how much you've already eaten. In America, that's our main course! Here's the bonfire. It was huge! Unfortunately we got there a little late, so the witch was already gone and her ashes on the way to Germany. Oh well.
Here we are with Fiona, Caroline, Christian, and Niels-Ole.

Morten and Lizbeth have a little beach house. They are these tiny white cabins that are brought out each summer and taken away each fall. Its a place you can store things, change clothes or have some cake and coffee, which is what we did after the bonfire.
Broderick was kept busy digging holes on the beach with Niels-Ole and another friend. This is at about 10:30 at night. I still cannot get use to the fact that its still light out past midnight and if Anika wakes up at 3AM to eat, its already light out. Crazy!!!

It was a little cool that evening, but since then it really has warmed up. Its been around 25 degrees celsius which is the upper 70s. We spent the last 2 days at the beach, unfortunately it is always more windy there so we come home covered in a layer of fine sand.

Brad was in Norway this week for business and just got home. I'm not sure what we'll do this weekend, but I'm sure we'll be outside enjoying the nice weather while we have it! Next week my sister Stacia and her husband Marshall are coming to visit! So excited to see them!!!!!!