The Vikings first encountered Christianity in the 8th and 9th centuries with the arrival of foreign monks and the rise of foreign trade. The first Danish king to convert to Christianity, Harold Blåtand (Harald Blåtand), was baptized around 965.
Despite pressure from the church to call Christmas ‘Christmas Mass’, the Danes kept the term ‘Christmas’ – a variation of the name of the historic festival Christmas.
It means wheels, and it is no exaggeration to say that everyone in Denmark enjoys themselves at Christmas time.
Candles and chocolate
Despite the penchant for cinnamon and cloves, Christmas is all about sweetness! Bakeries and shops stock special sweets and cakes in the weeks leading up to Christmas and often make artful window displays to show off their skills.
Treats enjoyed throughout Denmark include deep-fried lemon wedges, nutty gingerbread cookies and small spicy biscuits called pepper nuts.
And let’s not forget apple slices (mini-donut-shaped pancakes) and mulled wine (mulled wine flavored with dried fruits, nuts and Christmas spices), which are served at all festive markets along with roasted almonds.
Children are meanwhile protected until Santa’s arrival with chocolate in their Advent calendars, although the Christmas calendar tradition (see fact box) goes far beyond this, with some calendars giving gifts every Sunday in Advent, and others every single day. day!
During Advent, Denmark’s love of candles gets an even bigger dimension as each house has a special light with the days leading up to Christmas marked. The candle is properly turned on every day to burn it down to the next day’s date.
Alternatively, Advent wreaths composed of evergreen twigs and ribbons hold four candles – and one is lit each of the four Sundays prior to Christmas.
Keep goblins neat!
Now your candles are lit you can decorate. As in most Christian countries, the tree ends up being the main focus, even if it is not finished until Christmas Eve. This leaves the door open for the festival’s designated interveners: ‘the elf’.
One might think that these bearded elves, dressed in gray trousers and red hats, are Santa’s little helpers, but the tradition goes back much, much further.
Children often leave bowls of rice porridge to them, the sweet rice porridge eaten throughout July, and it stems from a tradition established shortly after the arrival of Christianity, where it was believed that ‘farm dwellers’ lived in the attic of houses or left to protect’ farm ‘(farm).
These ‘farm dwellers’ demanded offers to ensure a good crop. Failure to do so may result in pranks or worse. In fact, goblins were often blamed for the death of livestock and the destruction of grocery stores.
One of the etymological origins of the word ‘goblins’ may be from the Old Norse word for ‘infection’. More likely, though, it’s a nickname derived from Niels!
To whet your children’s appetite this year, why not visit Nisseland, which was established at Kalundborg on the westernmost part of Zealand in 2002. The 1,500 sqm venue includes the world’s largest mechanical elves exhibition.
Derived from human sacrifice
Also derived from paganism are the traditions of Julebuk and Yule Boar Loaf. Originally, they were sacrificed to ensure a good harvest (so important that humans were often killed), but they switched from animals to inanimate objects after the arrival of Christianity: most typically a straw man.
This corn dolly / corn mother would sit on the tables through Christmas before it was burned on Christmas Eve, thereby cleaning the house.
In modern times, the descendant of the corn doll in Denmark is ‘Julebuk’ (built). Today, it survives the oven and returns to the box with Christmas decorations. Some are bought as tourist curios and then no doubt confused with Spanish donkeys.
Another corn-related tradition that developed from the sacrifice was the baking of a boar-shaped bread with the last pile of grain harvested in the year: the Yule Boar Loaf.
It was often kept until sowing time in the spring, when part of it was mixed with the seed and part given to the plowman and the plow horses or plow oxen in anticipation of a good harvest.
The long breakfast
A good spread is always expected at Christmas lunch.
Often arranged in groups of friends and sports circles, the most popular kind is the office Christmas lunch, where the party often starts right after lunch and continues throughout the day.
Typical starters are pickled herring, gravadlax and breaded fish fillets served with mayonnaise, shrimp and eggs – all served on rye bread.
For the main course, roast pork (roast pork and crackers) with red cabbage is the most common option and for dessert the aforementioned rice porridge that can be jazzed up to a rice a l’amande.
All this is washed down by Christmas brew, the Christmas beer that is traditionally launched on J Day on the first Friday in November, and which is much stronger than your average beer, and the constant immersion of schnapps – it is after all rude to say no to a Cheers!
Aalborg Akvavit’s limited Christmas edition bottles are individually numbered and changed every year in design. Collectors around the world try to secure one of each design – even if the contents are as appealing as the bottle itself.
And do not forget the Package Game, the dice game that never gets old. Everyone reveals a wrapped gift, and then the participants take turns throwing a dice. A six gives you a gift, but once all is claimed, the rules allow an additional five minutes where you are allowed to choose what you want. It’s basically an excuse to be horrible for a while!
TV marathon
Children, meanwhile, are being entertained by the TV show Christmas Calendar. The first, ‘Stories from Around the World’ (stories from around the world), was broadcast by DR in 1962. Sweden had launched a similar show in 1960.
The audience started catching on in 1967 with ‘Do you know Decembervej?’ and its very popular central character, a happy mouse named Magnus Tagmus, who returned in a sequel the following year. In 1971, the program was in color and enrolled in the country’s must-watch program. The first supplementary Advent calendar was published in 1977.
Since 1990, DR and TV2 have alternately produced a new one – the same year as the latter published the first one aimed at adults. Each year, up to ten repetitions are displayed.
The most popular character is probably Pyrus, who first appeared in 1994 and has even had his own feature film. But his popularity has never picked up speed beyond Scandinavia. In contrast, the 2003 edition ‘Jesus & Josefine’ ended up being shown in 20 different countries.
The big day itself
After such a huge build-up, one could imagine that the Danes would want a quiet Christmas, but no. Christmas itself is a multi-day affair.
And then Christmas Eve starts with a walk in the church, often followed by a full walk to whet the appetite for the feast ahead.
When they return, the family finishes decorating the tree and settles down to watch Disney Christmas and various TV Christmas calendars while the designated chefs conjure up magic.
Traditionally, Christmas Eve is roast duck, pork or goose in the center and served with caramelized potatoes, braised red cabbage and a variety of pickled side dishes.
This is followed by rice a l’amande – a mixture of sweet rice porridge, whipped cream and crushed almonds. It is often served with a sauce made from winter berries, sometimes collected by children while they are out walking. A whole almond hides in the pudding, and whoever finds it wins the almond gift – a gift bought for the occasion.
After Christmas dinner, everyone holds hands and dances around the tree and sings traditional songs.
The 25th and 26th are quiet days spent at home with more food, friends and family, recovering from the excesses of the previous days and looking forward to the party starting again for the New Year.
Source: The Nordic Page