Danish holiday traditions

• Easter

  Easter marks the beginning of spring in Denmark. And as the gardens start to blossom with snowdrops and daffodils, the Easter traditions begin. Children in Denmark will set about making gækkebreve, a Danish tradition in which an anonymous letter is written, often in the form of a poem or riddle, in which the recipient is invited to guess the sender’s name, which is signed with the corresponding number of dots to the sender’s name. The idea is that if the recipient of the letter can’t guess who the letter is from, they owe the sender an Easter egg.

  Easter egg hunts are common, and many Danes attend Easter lunches, påskefrokoster, at which it is traditional to eat lamb as well as a multi-course meal of Danish favorites, including smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches) topped with herring, boiled eggs or liver paté. All of this will be washed down with plenty of snaps (an alcoholic aquavit).

  Easter in Denmark is a national holiday, and you will find that most stores and banks are closed during the Easter period.

• Midsummer

  In Denmark, midsummer is celebrated on 23^rd June in a tradition called Sankt Hans Aften. All over Denmark, people gather around large bonfires to mark summer solstice which has more than 17 hours of daylight. 

  And don’t be surprised if you see the figure of a witch atop the bonfire – this is an old Danish tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. The evening is usually spent outdoors with people from your community by the bonfire singing traditional Danish songs.

• Christmas

  Christmas is a significant holiday in Denmark, where the Danes enjoy time with their families and brighten the dark season with festive preparations, seasonal foods and traditions.

  The festivities begin with Advent and build up to the big day of celebration, Christmas Eve, on 24^th December. The countdown to Christmas is marked by lighting an advent candle, every day from 1^st to 24th. December.

  Throughout the month of December, you will find an array of Christmas markets or gatherings where æbleskiver (Danish pancake balls) and Glögg, a warm spiced wine with almonds and raisins, are served. In Denmark, it is a tradition to attend Christmas dinner parties, with colleagues, friends or family. The menu is usually traditional Danish cuisine such as open-faced sandwiches paired, naturally, with snaps (an alcoholic aquavit).

  On Christmas Eve, Danes enjoy a traditional feast, which varies depending on the region. In some areas, duck is on the menu, and in other areas it will be flæskesteg (roast pork) or medister (pork sausage). For dessert the Christmas pudding risalamande is served, and there is a traditional Christmas game in which the person who finds the whole almond in their pudding wins a gift. After dinner, everyone heads into the living room to dance around the Christmas tree and sing carols before exchanging gifts.

• New Year's Eve

  New Year’s Eve is marked by a festive gathering with friends and family. Each year, Danes toast to the year that has passed while listening to the monarch’s annual New Year's Eve speech.

  Around midnight, you will see Danes getting up onto chairs or sofas, ready to jump into the New Year. This is an old tradition: the saying is that you will have bad luck for the entire year if you forget to jump at midnight. The New Year is then celebrated by letting off many fireworks, drinking champagne and, perhaps most importantly, eating the traditional Danish dessert kransekage (a marzipan cake).