Denmark celebrates Christmas on the 24th. They do a lot of other things a little differently. Last night my family and I were lucky enough to be able to celebrate Christmas here with my friend Marcia’s family! Danes put so much time and preparation into their Christmas celebrations and that extra effort makes ‘Jul’ in Denmark one of the most wonderful experiences you can have in a lifetime.
Here are some of the highlights from my Danish Christmas experience this year:
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Christmas Tree (Juletræ) – Danes don’t pack on the decorations as much as we do in North America but instead decorate their trees with real candles, beautiful woven paper hearts (julehjerter) and simple ornaments. The result is simple but charming. - Dancing around the Juletræ – After dinner (before presents), everyone holds hands and circles the Christmas tree singing traditional hymns. This is such a beautiful tradition and brings home the feeling of ‘togetherness.’
- Food – caramelized potatoes, pickled red cabbage, roasted duck, pork, the best gravy you’ve had in your life, pickled cucumbers…’hearty’ is the best way to describe Danish Christmas food but it’s fantastic.
Desserts – I already talked about food but Danish desserts really deserve their own section. Whether it be the many types of shortbread and ginger cookies, the marzipan, the incredible chocolate, the æbleskiver (ball-shaped pancakes with powdered sugar and jam) or the very famous gløgg (essentially mulled wine), Danes definitely do desserts right.- Rice Pudding (Risengrød) – Not only does dessert deserve its own section but so does this particular dessert. One of the most iconic desserts, this also comes with its own game attached; a peeled almond is hidden in the pudding and whoever finds the almond in their personal dish gets a special gift! The competition can get fierce!
- Tuborg Julebryg – This is a special Christmas beer by Tuborg that has an official holiday named after it (J-dag) where they give out free beer and sing ‘Jingle Bells’ on the street. What more could you ask for?
- Christmas Markets (Julemarked) – Christmas markets are the best places to find traditional crafts, Christmas foods, and friendly people all in one place. They can’t be beat!
And finally…. HYGGE. Hygge means “creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people” or “families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed” or “time spent on your own reading a good book” (http://ind.pn/2eCVfc0). Whatever hygge means to you, it is the perfect feeling to describe Christmas in Denmark!